Seasons of Love
by iamselena
Summary: Just as the seasons rolled by, Kanata knew he made a mistake. But when he came back, Miyu and a surprise awaits him that changed his life.
1. When the Last Cherry Blossom Falls

**AN:** I don't own Daa! Daa! Daa! and the characters involved in it. Mika Kawamura is the sole creator of this anime (bows down). I'm just a poor author who has a wild imagination. Oh, and I don't own the song, "Your Guardian Angel" by the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus.

**_Seasons of Love_**

_o_

_o_

_o_

**Prologue: When the Last Cherry Blossom Falls**

_"I don't think I can handle things the way I used to…"_

Tears were burning brightly in her eyes, but she didn't flinch. She didn't cry. She smiled, instead, albeit sadly. _"I understand."_ But she doesn't. No matter how hard she tried to, she couldn't.

She couldn't figure out why.

He smiled in relief, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. _"It's better this way,"_ he tried to assure her. But in reality, he was only trying to convince himself that this decision is the right one. That he wasn't making a mistake. _"And besides, I'll be leaving to continue my studies abroad. And maybe find a job there. A relationship will be hard to maintain if we're apart."_ He held out a hand. _"So, we're friends, right?"_

Miyu eyed his hand, pain evident in her eyes. _"I don't think so, Kanata,"_ she answered stiffly.

"_Why not?"_ He shouldn't be surprised she was telling him this, but, dammit, he didn't want it to end this way. Not with anger and bitterness between them. He dropped his hand. _"Why can't we be friends?"_

"_Things aren't the same as before,"_ she replied with obvious force. _"We can't be friends, not after all that has happened. Like you said, it's better this way."_

She turned away, leaving Kanata underneath the cherry blossom tree. He should be happy that it was over. That nothing was going to tie him down. That nothing was threatening to hurt him again if the chance came up.

"_Goodbye."_

So why wasn't he content?

**X**

**_Spring_**

Kanata hates spring.

How can everything seem to be alive when he is mourning? Kanata thought bitterly, casting a withering glare to a nearby flower perched on a bush. How can people be happy when he's not?

The year before, Kanata lost his mother in a car accident. It was a pleasant spring day, and he and his mother made a vow to spend the day under a cherry blossom tree. The pink petals were falling gently on the ground, and his mother packed an enormous picnic basket just for the two of them.

"We never had time for the two of us, Kanata," Hitomi said with a smile. "I want to spend this day with you. Just the two of us."

Kanata smiled and hugged his mother.

But when they were about to cross the road, a car was speeding directly towards them. In a flash, Kanata knew he was the one who's going to be hit, but a miraculous intervention made by his mother saved him.

_Screech!_

_SLAM!_

_Blood._

Against the stark, gray cement was Hitomi's blood. Red. The symbol of life. The driver stepped outside of his car shakily, dialing a number that without a doubt would bring the ambulance here. He was apologizing profusely, but Kanata couldn't hear anything. He clumsily got up from the side of the road where his mother pushed him to, and crawled slowly to her.

It seemed like an eternity before he finally reached her and touched her hand.

"Mom…" Tears burned in his eyes, but Hitomi reached up and brushed it away. Kanata gripped her hand tightly, not wanting to let go. "Mommy…"

Hitomi smiled again, and closed her eyes. "I love you," she whispered, her face peaceful, not a hint of pain anywhere. "I love you so much, Kanata."

His heart began to race. _No, no, no, no!_ "Mommy, you can't leave me," he cried, as if he was three-years-old again, instead a boy of eighteen. "Please… don't leave…"

She died before the ambulance could reach her.

Now at nineteen, that memory continues to haunt Kanata. He hates everything that has to do with spring… well, almost everything. He looked up to see a Sakura tree standing proudly in the middle of the park.

His mother loved cherry blossoms.

He closed his eyes at that memory, pain still ardent in him. He couldn't forget.

In fact, Hitomi's grave was lavished with cherry blossoms from her friends, its sweet scent filling the air.

_Cherry blossoms…_

"_I love you so much…"_

Kanata opened his eyes in time to hear a girl's voice, sweet and musical, ringing throughout the park.

"_When I see your smile, tears run down my face,"_ a voice sang, the melody drifting off with the wind. _"I can't replace… and now that I'm strong I have figured out how this world turns cold and it breaks through my soul…"_

Kanata felt his heart begin to crack. The song. It was… painful. It was emitting a lot of emotions from him. How can anyone sing it?

"…_and I know I'll find deep inside me… I can be the one…"_

Kanata stepped forward and saw someone underneath the cherry blossom tree. The person was a girl. She was sitting on the grass, holding a bunch of pale, pink flowers in her hands.

And she was singing.

"_I will never let you fall… I'll stand up with you forever…"_

"Why are you singing?" he suddenly blurted out.

The girl stopped singing. The music stopped. The girl looked familiar… who is she? Kanata wondered, walking closer to her. She has long, blonde hair, innocent, emerald-green eyes.

"Because I feel like it," she answered with a smile. "Because right now, I feel like singing. It washes my sorrows away, my troubles."

She started singing again.

"_I will never let you fall… I'll stand up with you forever… I'll be there for you through it all… even if saving you sends me to heaven…"_

**X**

It was the start of something new. Miyu has always been Kanata's schoolmate, though they haven't interacted before inside or outside the school premises. Kanata was glad to have her in his life, and the wound his mother had left with him was finally healing. Although, not completely.

They started to date the year they were to graduate college. The gang was especially happy for the couple, because they knew Miyu was good for him. Ever since the death of his mother, Kanata was never his same old self again. It seems the wound had never completely healed.

They were happy. Both of them were wrapped around in a cloud of romance and love. They were content. They were happy.

Until "it" happened.

It was controllable, really. It was avoidable.

But as soon as their emotions finally emerged on top of their good sense, they couldn't be stopped. Maybe it was because of Miyu's smile, or maybe it was because of Kanata's warmth. Or maybe it's because they both wanted it. But either way, the second Kanata kissed her zealously on the lips, passion ignited between them, clouding their minds with want and need. The night stretched on.

The moon was illuminating their figures on the bed. It was the moment when Kanata was holding her tightly in his arms, the blanket covering them both, that his mind started to wander. That his mind started to change.

To the future. About the future.

He could see Miyu with him, carrying something in her arms. Or maybe someone. He could see himself with her, in a house, spending the rest of their days together. He could see Miyu, clad in a gorgeous white dress that simple took his breath away, and him in a tux.

And it scared him.

His eyes widened at the realization. No. He couldn't. He just couldn't. He couldn't risk loving someone that much—too much to start thinking the future with her. He couldn't face himself hurting again if something happened to her.

Then he'd hurt again.

He knew he had to end things. His mind was confused, so were his feelings. So a week after the incident, he called her underneath the cherry blossom tree to talk.

"_I don't think I can handle things the way I used to…"_

"_So, we're friends, right?"_

"_I don't think so, Kanata…"_

"_Like you said, it's better this way."_

His heart gave a terrified lurch when she uttered, _"Goodbye."_

Their separation brought a lot of strain onto them. Kanata focused his mind into studying, not allowing himself to even **think** about her. He couldn't afford to. He couldn't let himself think about the way her eyes filled with pain.

School was a problem to them. They were both studying in the same university, and their friends grew concerned. Santa and Nozumo questioned Kanata about how things were, but he became an expert at avoiding answering their questions. Nanami, Aya and Christine tried to talk to Miyu, but she determinedly refused to spill anything about their relationship. Their friends tactfully dropped the subject and moved onto new things. They former couple kept communication to a minimum, and avoided each other's presence.

So when graduation came, Kanata decided to continue his pursue his study abroad. He can't continue on living with her near him. It was hard enough not to talk to her, to discuss her about his problems. He won a scholarship that will let him prolong his studying in America. He was aiming for the kill. Memories— memories he liked to escape— are here in Japan. His mother's grave is in Japan. Miyu is in Japan.

Pain.

Hurt.

Sorrow.

Escape is the only solution.

He was a coward, and he didn't know that.

They were in a secluded area of the gym after the ceremonies, where none of the students were wandering around. "So, I guess this is goodbye then, Miyu," Kanata said tensely. He wanted to talk to her one last time. Before he goes away. He managed to find her in the throng of graduates; she was with her parents.

Miyu smiled softly. "Guess so," she uttered. She shifted her feet. Miyu opened her mouth to say something, but at the last minute, lost her courage to tell him.

_Tell him now, Miyu._

_Tell him._

_This is your chance._

Kanata reached out to touch her, wanting to hug her and never let go. But the damage was done. There was big barrier between them, one that wouldn't be easy to break. It was an emotional barrier.

Instead, he dropped his hand and muttered, "Goodbye."

It was a few minutes after he left, the barrier broke and tears fell, one by one. Miyu's hand drifted to her belly, and she whispered something that only the night heard, "I still love you."

"_Goodbye."_

**Next on **_**Seasons of Love:**_ Summer. It usually means the beach, the sun, and looking for girls in bikinis. But it also means romance. Or more specifically, a summer romance, a big surprise and a reunion.

* * *

**AN:** _It's been a year already since I posted __**Inside Your Haven **__(my very first fic), and I decided to write another story in celebration of me being a one-year writer in ! Quite honestly, this is really a BIG milestone for me. :) It's really been a wonderful year for me. I've met lots of new friends and fellow writers and reviewers, and I've grown up a lot as a writer and a person. Though I'm still childish. :) _

_(Haven't grown up THAT much :P)_

_**Seasons of Love**__ is an entirely new thing for me. But I love the idea and I thought it might be a great way to celebrate. I also compiled a few of my favorite songs… kinda like a song fic. Although I may not update this as frequently, I will certainly finish this. I already finished the plot, and it is a total of fifteen chapters, respectively. This story is dedicated to my friends in , because I wouldn't have made this far without you guys! YOU GUYS FREAKIN' __**ROCK**__ MY WORLD! :P_

_Oooh. And I just love the song, "Your Guardian Angel". It's my ultimate favorite song! Hope you enjoyed reading this story of mine! Lots of love!_


	2. A Summer to Remember

**AN:** I don't own Daa! Daa! Daa! and the characters involved in it. Mika Kawamura is the sole creator of this anime (bows down). I'm just a poor author who has a wild imagination.

_**Seasons of Love**_

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**Chapter One: A Summer to Remember**

Kanata Saionji smiled politely at the stewardess, who bestowed him a warmer interest than his fellow passengers on board, before leaving his seat as fast as he could. He wasn't interested. Although try as he might, the girl could not simply take a hint at his cool demeanor towards her.

He quickly got his luggage and exited the airport, claiming a taxi that whisked him towards his home.

Kanata smiled wryly as he passed familiar streets and places. Home. How weird it was to call a place he had not set foot on in nearly four years? Definitely weird, he thought.

Success at his field in business blessed him with good clothes, a high social status back in the States, and women frolicking to his side. Of course, he's not exactly selling himself short. Saionji Kanata was given intelligence and good looks to boot long before he was successful. So it wasn't a surprise women are chasing after him.

But he wasn't interested in them. Once or twice, there were women who sparked an attraction in him, but they usually don't last long.

Not since _her_…

The taxi came to a full stop in front of a familiar flight of stairs. He paid the driver, got out of the car and stared at his home.

For a few weeks, that is, until he finished his business in Japan. Then it's back to America again.

"How long," Kanata murmured under his breath, as he "since I last saw her?"

Four years.

And he still couldn't forget that special night where everything changed between them.

_**Summer**_

_Ding-dong. Ding-dong._

"Hai!" From his position in his recliner, Santa dropped the magazine he was reading and made a beeline to the door. At last! The pizza is here! While opening the door, Santa dug inside his wallet for cash. "Wow. Your delivery service is sure fast today," he commented, counting the money in his wallet. "So how much do I owe you?"

"Well, this is nice," a voice said sarcastically. "Not even a pleasant 'hello' or 'how are you'? And here I thought you'd be glad to see me."

Santa lifted his head and promptly had his jaw plummeting to the floor. "Ka-Kanata?" he managed to choke out. His wallet met the floor with a soft sound, and he stared at his best friend with wide, unbelieving eyes.

Kanata grinned. "Well," he said good-naturedly, "it seems you did miss me after all, judging from the idiotic look you're sporting right now."

"Kanata!" Santa leaped and hugged his friend, and at the same time, slapping his back. "Why didn't you tell me you were visiting? Man, four years didn't do a thing on you except make you look more like a movie star!"

"Get off me, idiot!" Laughing, Kanata stood up and they made their way to the living room. It has the word 'bachelor' written on the wall, and Kanata admired his friend's apartment.

"So, how've you been, Kanata?" Santa asked, tossing a can of soda to the figure on the sofa. He sat across him. "I heard all about your big success in America." He grinned cheekily. "And the girls that decorated your arm while you were trudging down Madison Square Garden."

Kanata nearly choked on his drink. "Wha--?" His eyes narrowed. "You've been reading those gossip magazines, aren't you?"

Santa laughed. "Guilty as charged," he replied, popping his can open. "Well, you never e-mail me nor call, so how was I supposed to know whether my best friend's alive or not?" Although his tone was light, there was a slight admonition at the back of his voice.

Guilt-ridden, Kanata stared at his soda. "Sorry," he mumbled, "I was just busy these past years with the business and—"

"The girls," the raven-haired boy supplied, earning a glare from his best friend. "Okay, okay. I'll stop with the cracks. But honestly, Kanata—" Santa began fishing underneath the coffee table for a glossy magazine, and he held it up for Kanata's inspection, "—I've been seeing your face plastered across international magazines with an interesting variety of women clinging on your arm. See?" He waved a specific picture to and fro, irritating the object of the magazine's attention.

"Well, how about you, Mr. Hot Shot?" Kanata retorted, blushing furiously. "The last time we saw each other, you were stringing girls along in the local campus."

"But compared to your, um, exotic choices," Santa answered with a smile, "I look pretty tame. You've gone out with brunettes, blondes with cleavages that are to die for, red-haired, blue-eyed, green-eyed—"

"Okay, you rest your case. You don't have to rub it in."

"And besides, you said 'were'." Santa leaned back and closed his eyes. "I'm definitely tamed now."

Kanata felt his jaw drop. "Don't tell me you've gone out and have a permanent girlfriend?" he asked, his tone incredulous.

Santa simply grinned. "Yup!" he replied cheerfully. "I have a girlfriend, but I think you are rather late on the news." He took a deep breath and blurted, "I'm getting married."

Silence greeted the announcement, then: "That's great, man!" Kanata pounced on the unknowing Santa, startling him as they tumbled back in the sofa. Santa let out a yelp as the brown-haired boy ruffled his hair into disarray.

"Ack! Kanata! You dummy! My hair!" Santa yelled, pushing Kanata away, although his eyes were sparkling in laughter. " You're wrecking my hair!"

Kanata settled back to his seat, staring at his best friend in awe. "So?"

Santa looked at him, confused. "So what?"

"Who's the lucky girl?"

Santa beamed and announced proudly, "It's Akane! You know, my pen pal?"

"Wow. So she converted you from your irresponsible, idiotic playboy self, huh?" Kanata shook his head playfully. "I never knew such a girl existed in the face of the planet. But apparently, there is. So, congratulations, buddy!"

"Thanks, Kanata." Santa blushed red in pleasure, then he looked at him curiously. "But I swear I emailed to you about my wedding details, hoping that you'd come." He let out an exasperated sigh. "Geez. The life of a man involved in the corporate world sure is strenuous. He doesn't have time to check his email for wedding invitations!" Santa chuckled, as Kanata turned red.

"Sorry," he mumbled. "But I'm here now. I really am sorry for not keeping in touch. Things are just hectic and I—"

"No problem." Santa waved it off. "The important thing is that you're here. So, if it's not my wedding you came here for, then why did you came back?"

Kanata opened his mouth, but Santa cut him off. "I'm guessing it's business, right?" He grinned cheekily, and Kanata retaliated by throwing one of the cushions at him.

_**O**_

Kanata's next stop after visiting Santa was Hikarigaoka Nozumo and his wife, Christine. It was a real shocker when Santa dropped the bomb about Nozumo and Christine's wedding a year and a half ago.

He carefully parked his Porsche in front of the huge gates, and Kanata stared in awe at the mansion residing beyond the steel opening. He took a deep breath before pressing the doorbell.

_Brriiiing. Brriiiing._

"Yes?" a voice came through the speakers, startling Kanata.

"Good afternoon," he answered easily, "I'm here to see Hikarigaoka and his wife. I'm a friend of theirs."

"And what is your name, sir?" the voice buzzed through.

"Saionji Kanata."

There was a slight pause that indicated that his name was recognized, and the female voice answered back, "Yes, Saionji-san. Please wait a moment while I buzz both of them."

A few moments later, the gates swung open, presenting a huge garden—with an equally huge mansion further into the estate. Flowers decorated bushes, and Kanata savored the peacefulness as he walked towards the house.

"Saionji-kun!" a voice called from the front door, and a figure emerged.

Realization dawned on Kanata's eyes, and he immediately approached the other man. "Hikarigaoka!"

A man with blonde hair beamed as he greeted Kanata. They shook hands before they entered the mansion. "How've you been?" Nozumo queried. "I haven't heard from you for months and you just drop a surprise visit?"

"Sorry," Kanata replied ashamedly. "I guess I've been too busy. Anyway, I'm fine. Living my life in the corporate world well."

"So I've heard," Nozumo said wryly. He gave a chuckle. "Read all about your escapades with different women at the gossip columns. Apparently, Saionji Kanata is news worthy."

"The writers are idiots," Kanata shot back, though a smile was playing on his lips. He and Nozumo entered a room and sat on the sofa. "They don't know how much I love my privacy. But enough about me, how're you and Hanakomachi doing?"

"I'm doing great," a female voice answered, "but I'm not Hanakomachi Christine, anymore! I'm Hikarigaoka Christine now, Kanata-kun."

Both men turned around to see a beautiful Christine clad in a light, flowy dress that ended mid-thigh. To Kanata's shock, Christine looks as if she was ready to give birth—if you based it on her huge, swollen tummy.

"You're… you're pregnant," Kanata squeaked, before leaping to his feet to give the expecting mother-to-be a warm hug. "You're pregnant."

"Well, isn't that obvious," Christine laughed, returning the hug. "Kanata-kun! How are you? I've missed you so much!"

"Watch it buddy," her husband joked, as he supported Chris while she attempted to sit. Really, her stomach was big. "But if you haven't notice by the bump, she's taken."

Kanata gave a hearty laugh. "Your loss, Hanakomachi," he teased. "And even though I know you are married, you're still Hanakomachi to me." He wagged his eyebrows. "Anyway, when are you due? You look as if you're ready to give in to your baby's wishes to be let out into the world any second now."

Chris giggled. "It just looks like that," she confessed, touching her belly, "but I'm not going to give birth until next month. That's what the doctors told me."

"And I made sure she's been well cared," Nozumo said, placing an arm around her shoulders. "But I'll be glad when this is all over."

Christine pouted. "Aww. You just don't want to deal with my hormones, don't you?"

"I'll admit to nothing." He turned to Kanata, who was smiling amusedly at the couple. "The last time her hormones attacked, the house was nearly flooded with tears. I never wanted to go through that again."

"Baka." Chris frowned, but a sparkle was glinting in her eyes. "You were to blame for that." She turned to Kanata with pleading eyes. "He told me I was fat! Isn't that mean of him?"

"I did not!" Nozumo protested. "I just said that you were bigger than usual—"

"Again, fat."

"You're on her side?" Nozumo gaped at Kanata, astonished. "You're siding with my wife? Don't you remember a thing called friendship?"

"Idiot." Kanata laughed out loud. "I prefer to be on the winning side. You seemed to be thoroughly whipped by your wife. Congratulations, Hanakomachi." He shook hands with her, who was fighting to stop her laughter at the mock-unhappy expression on her husband.

"Traitor."

_Knock. Knock._

The door opened and one of the maids peeked in, an apologetic smile on her face. "Excuse me, Madam," she said politely, "but Tenchi-san and Konishi-san are here. Shall I send them in?"

"Yes, please." Christine gracefully stood up. She glanced at Kanata, who frowned. She smiled, a bit sadly though. "Don't worry, Kanata-kun."

Kanata looked at her. "Worry about what?" he asked, somewhat tight-lipped. If she's here… hell, he doesn't know how to handle the situation.

Nozumo understood what his wife meant, so he placed an assuring hand on his shoulder. "Miyu-cchi's not here," he said. "She couldn't come because she has work to do, she says."

Relief and disappointment ran through Kanata. He had an urge to see her, but at the same time, he wasn't prepared. Her face, her voice… her simple traits are still fresh in his mind. It has been years since he last saw her, years in which he didn't bothered to maintain contact with her. In fact, he broke all of his ties with her, the memory too painful. Lost in his thoughts, Kanata missed the fact that Christine and Nozumo exchanged glances.

Outside the door, there were two chattering female voices. The door burst open and two forms quickly made their way to the mother-to-be, kissing her cheeks.

"Chris-chan! God, you're looking well!"

"How've you been doing? Morning sickness been bothering you lately?"

Chris laughed, returning the warm hug her friends bestowed upon her, despite her stomach poking them. "I've been well," she replied, eyes twinkling. "But I'm sure you'll find him more interesting than discussing about what color we should paint the nursery." She nodded towards Kanata's direction, which was quickly followed by Aya and Nanami's gaze.

Their jaws dropped. Aya stammered a few times before grinning and attacking Kanata in a bear hug. "Saionji-kun!" Kanata wrapped his arms around her small frame, laughing as he did so. "How are you? You look like someone who came out of _Vogue_!"

Nanami snapped out of her surprise and approached the auburn-haired man, who was trying mightily to get a word in as Aya continued to talk on. "Saionji-kun!" She greeted him with the same tomboyish grin from years before, then playfully punched him on the arm. "How come you showed up so late? How are you?"

"Doing well, thanks," he replied, returning the same greeting. He finally spoke after Aya clamped her mouth shut, as she was busy helping Chris serve tea. The group settled again in the living room.

"So, Saionji-kun," Aya began casually, sipping her tea. "Are you staying for Kurosu-kun's wedding? I bet that's the reason why you came back."

Nozumo laughed. Kanata had the grace to blush, but he answered, "Well, technically, no. But since I did found out about the wedding, I'll attend. I haven't even met the future Mrs. Santa Kurosu."

The remark met a chorus of:

"She's fantastic!"

"Akane-chan is the best! She's perfect for Kurosu-kun!"

"Of course she is."

"Kurosu-kun's very happy with her. You should see them together, Kanata-kun…"

The discussion directed towards each other's lives. Nanami was successful as a designer in some firm, and was seeing someone at the moment. Aya, on the other hand, is single, but terribly happy with her life and career as a rising director.

"Wow, Konishi," Kanata whistled, admiring the girls whom he was friends with. "I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks, Saionji-kun," Aya replied happily, placing the tea back on the floor. "Actually, I gave up on directing after a couple of failures. But Miyu-chan helped—"

Everyone froze at the name. Kanata, tense as a rock, felt a muscle throbbed unbearably on his temple. Aya, who was red as a beetroot as she realized her mistake, began to stutter her apologies.

"Sa-Saionji-kun," she stammered, dropping her gaze. She bit her lip. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—"

"It's nothing," Kanata said with a smile, waving it off. "Now what did Miyu helped you with? And—" he paused, debating whether asking it or not, before continuing, "—how is she?" he finished quietly.

"Miyu helped me after my plays were rejected a couple of times," Aya answered honestly, permitting herself to smile. "I was really down. But as a true friend, she convinced me to continue on writing until my first play was actually accepted." Kanata felt himself smile at this. Miyu has always been a friend who could be counted on. She was solid as a rock, a wall to lean on. Hell, she was the one who helped him get over his mother's death—though not completely. The smile dimmed as painful memories came rushing back to him.

"_We can't be friends, not after all that has happened. Like you said, it's better this way."_

"How is she?" he heard himself ask out loud. Everyone looked at him with expressionless faces.

Then something sparkled in Christine's eyes before answering, "Miyu-chan is doing great, Kanata-kun."

An uncomfortable silence weighed down, before Nozumo changed the topic to a much safer one. Kanata was grateful, the memories bearing him down.

The conversation lasted for an hour or so, when Tenchi caught sight of the time. "Oh, great," she said, standing up. She looked apologetic. "I'm sorry, but I have to jilt. I promised Mi—I mean, a friend of mine asked me to baby-sit for her," Nanami caught herself just in time, blushing slightly. The whole group, except Kanata, turned anxious.

Kanata rose, too. "Me, too," he said. "I have some work to do at home." He didn't seem to find anything suspicious, nor could he sense the tension in the air. He hugged Aya, went to Christine and kissed her cheek, and shook hands with Nozumo. "Thanks, guys."

"No problem, Saionji-kun."

"If you need us, just call."

Kanata turned to Nanami. "Tenchi, I'll give you a ride to wherever you're going," he offered graciously.

Nanami paled at the thought. "Oh, no, Saionji-kun," she replied with a shake of her head. "I don't want to be a bother."

Kanata smiled. "I don't mind," he said. "Who are you babysitting anyway?"

Everyone except Kanata exchanged worried glances, which he thankfully missed.

"Oh, no one you know," Nanami replied nervously. _I'm not exactly lying. Not at all._ "Just a little girl. The mother's busy this afternoon."

Kanata hesitated. "Well, if you sure you're not going to catch a ride with me," he said slowly.

Nanami smiled brightly. "I'm fine," she assured. "I've got it covered."

He nodded. "Okay. See you guys soon, all right?"

After Kanata left the room, everyone breathed in a sigh of relief.

"Man, this sure is hard," Nozumo complained, collapsing on the sofa. "It'll be difficult keeping this a secret."

"Not exactly a walk in the park," Christine agreed from her position on the couch. "But we can't tell him. It isn't our decision to."

"Yeah, but," Nanami said, gathering her bag and belongings, "I wish she would tell him the truth." She sighed. "He doesn't know what he's missing."

Aya nodded sadly. "Yeah," she echoed, watching Kanata's car leave the Hikarigaoka-Hanakomachi estate. "He doesn't know what he's missing."

_**O**_

The sun was slowly setting beneath the horizon, and Kanata slowed down and parked his car beside the playground. The place provided the perfect view of the sunset, where anyone can clearly see how the fiery ball of fire gradually sinks below the silver lining of the sphere.

If he had any sense, he wouldn't be here. He would be driving towards home, ready to face the massive piles of paperwork and constant emails and calls waiting for him. It would take him several hours to finish it all, but his mind wasn't near work.

He sat on one of the swings, watching as the sky steadily turned into an array of colors. Orange, yellow, red, gold, pink, purple, blue… beautiful pigments streaked the vast sky. There, he was in a sense of peace.

If truth be told, he was anything but peaceful. Memories and conflicting emotions were bubbling beneath his cool exterior, unresolved issues and heartbreaking pain rushing back to him like a tidal wave.

This was the very same park where he first saw Miyu. Singing underneath that gorgeous cherry blossom tree, a few petals caught in her hair, her brilliant smile shining…

_Wish that I could move on. Can't let go, it's too strong… Just like that— and then you're gone. Is this is how you wanted it to be? Everything you had to say sent the tears right down my face. Now I'm trying to escape the misery…_

He never knew coming back here would be this hard. But he doesn't have a choice. Kanata stood up from the swing and started to walk around. In the distance, he heard the ridiculous song played whenever the ice cream truck passes by him. It was still the same.

He permitted himself to smile, even a little, as he caught sight of the very same ice cream truck back when he was little. It hasn't change. Not one bit.

_Miyu._

From the news he heard from his friends, she sure hasn't changed. Well, at least he hasn't seen her yet. He should stick to Plan A. It'll be easier living in Heiomachi without bumping into her, or seeing her. It will be less the heartache, the pain—

"Get out of the way!"

Startled, Kanata lifted his head and saw a blurry form before—

_CRASH._

Instinctively, Kanata wrapped his arms around the person's waist to prevent her from falling on the hard concrete. It was a woman. Yellow and gold blocked his eyes, and he caught a whiff of vanilla and the scent of cherry blossoms. Was it the trees? Kanata wondered. Why was it too familiar?

The woman gasped as she crashed straight into his arms. He felt something cold touch his chest, and realized the woman was holding an ice cream cone, the strawberry scoop dribbling down the front of his shirt.

"I am so, so terribly sorry," she apologized, having trouble standing up. Kanata noticed that the woman was wearing a pair of roller blades. She was blonde, but she wasn't lifting her head as she struggled to maintain her balance. "Let me offer you my handkerchief. I don't know why, but my balance was a bit off today, and I was teetering around on—" She lifted her head, and Kanata felt his heart skip a couple of beats when he met emerald-green eyes.

The woman's jaw dropped, as recognition lighted her face in an instant. "Ka-Kanata?" she choked out, her free hand covering her lips. "What on earth are you--?"

The name dropped from his lips like a forbidden word. "Miyu?"

They stood a second longer before Miyu raised her left hand and threw the ice cream cone straight at him—landing on his shirt with another soft _splat_. Then she took off on her roller blades as fast as she could. "You jerk!"

Stunned, it took Kanata another second before giving chase. "Miyu!"

So much for sticking with Plan A. Somehow, Fate and Destiny found the time to make a horrible joke on him.

Oh, the irony.

**Next on **_**Seasons of Love**_**: **Ah. The big reunion. The next chapter will involve roller blades, karma, and a surprise revealed!

**AN:** _AT LAST! Nothing beats the satisfaction of having another chapter finished, neh?Ü Yup. So here is the big reunion. And if you'll read closely, there are a few hints on certain things that will be applicable to the next chapter.Ü I'm really excited, and I am so SORRY for not having updated since last… May, I think. Truly I'm battling it out with the gods of inspiration. So hard. But anyway, I think it's coming back to me. And you know what? This is ten pages long. God. It's been ages since I last wrote a chapter past five pages._

_Another reason why I haven't updated is because I'm busy posting stories in other series like Indiana Jones. I'm quite addicted to it. So my stories here in Daa! Daa! Daa! may be slow in updating, but I'll try to speed it up.Ü_

_And in case you guys are wondering, the italicized paragraph near the end is part of the song "Forget About Me" by Lil' Bit. Go to YouTube and hear it for yourself, 'cause it's wonderful! Truly.Ü Thanks for reading! Muah!_

**PS.** _Sheesh. I am forgetting things.Ü Silly me. Anyway, I want you guys to know that I'll be updating my other two stories, __**Clashing Hearts**__ and __**A Fairytale Fiasco**__, soon. Very soon. I'm about halfway on both stories, and I'm excited to finish it.Ü Thanks very much for reading!_


	3. Closer

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_**Seasons of Love**_

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**Chapter Three: Closer**

_SMACK!_

_CRASH!_

Miyu cursed and stood up to see the damage inside her living room. It was going to be one of "those" days, wherein Hell comes up to make her life miserable. And she was sure that it wasn't going to be pleasant.

"Mommy!" a childish voice called out.

Miyu sighed, walking towards the living room, where her very ill daughter was resting on the couch. "Coming, sweetheart," she called back.

Her living room resembled a war zone. Her favorite vase lay in pieces on the rug. Her daughter's glass of juice spilled on the tiled floor, and the **cat**—Hana found the feline mutt in an empty lot yesterday—was meowing contentedly, looking innocent as an angel. The juice on its fur gave it away, as well as her daughter's pleading. Miyu wanted to scream and strangle the cat.

"Mommy, Kitty didn't mean to," Hana said in a weak voice. The flu took over her body, and her voice was shaky. She coughed, and Miyu stroked her daughter's blonde hair. "He was walking and didn't see the table."

Miyu sighed. "Well, it's Kitty's fault for not looking at where he is going," she said firmly, acting like the mother she is. "So it's best if Kitty stays outside. And beside," she added, dropping a kiss on her forehead, "Kitty might catch a cold, too, so you better stay away from her."

"M'kay, Mommy," Hana said readily, snuggling in her Winnie-the-Pooh comforter. "I'm sick," she said forlornly.

"I know, sweetie," Miyu answered, standing up to pick up the bigger pieces of what's left of her vase. "That's why the doctor will come later to see how you are doing. And then I'll heat up some chicken soup and toast some bread for you, shall I?"

Hana nodded sleepily, already towards her way to Dreamland.

Miyu smiled and got the living room in order. Nanami-chan will come by to baby-sit Hana in the afternoon, while she goes out to buy some groceries and stuff. She needed the comfort of ice cream after what she's going through.

Waking up to find her daughter burning up scared the soul out of Miyu, but after settling her down in the couch where she could watch her favorite TV programs, Miyu calmed down and took charge. Though after burning her own breakfast, as well as Hana's, she had to redo it all over again.

Then while taking an important call, Miyu went to the bathroom to escort Hana. Unexpectedly, Hana threw up on her good jeans, and, surprised, Miyu dropped her mobile in the tub full of warm water. The phone didn't survive.

Now, it was the cat, her favorite vase and the rug.

Could anything else get worse?

**X**

"Nanami-chan, thank you very much for doing this," Miyu said gratefully, promptly kissing Nanami's cheek. She glanced at her daughter, who was sleeping peacefully on the couch. "She'll be delighted to see you, you know."

Nanami winked. "Of course. She's my goddaughter." She patted her friend's shoulder comfortingly. "You go and relax. Smell the flowers or something. I'll take care everything in here, okay?"

"Thanks very much," Miyu repeated again in awe. "You're a lifesaver." She began to strap her rollerblades in, and making sure that her helmet's on.

"Where are you going, anyway?" Nanami asked, handing Miyu's knee pads. "And what's with the rollerblades? I didn't know you can skate," she teased. "Given your clumsiness, I'd think you'd be better off walking."

Miyu made a face and laughed. "I need the exercise," she replied dryly, adjusting her helmet. "And besides, I need to drop by the grocery. And for your information, I'm not always a magnet for accidents!"

"That's what you think!" Nanami laughed. The, she turned serious. "Hey, Miyu," she said quietly, watching her friend as she strapped her left rollerblade securely.

The blonde looked up. "Yeah?"

Nanami shifted uneasily. She didn't want to mention anything, especially when it's none of her business. And there is a chance they wouldn't meet at all, so… why bother? Because she cares, she decided. "I was wondering," she began hesitantly, "what your reaction would be if the father of your child were to arrive here in Heiomachi."

Miyu stiffened. "Kanata? Why on earth would he come back?" she retorted, not answering the question at all. Her green gaze pierced Nanami's.

Nanami shrugged helplessly. Me and my big mouth, she thought sourly. And she was supposed to be relaxed. Now, she's wound up tighter than a spring. "I was just wondering, Miyu-chan," she tried to placate her friend. "For curiosity's sake."

Miyu's mouth tightened. "This is a 'what-if' question, right?" she bit out, her voice edgy.

Nanami nodded slowly. She hated lying to her friends. "Yeah…"

The blonde sighed with relief, obviously relaxing. "If he were to come back here, I wouldn't know what to do," she answered honestly.

Nanami frowned. "You don't?"

Miyu shook her head. "No." Her face grew thoughtful. "Nanami-chan, I haven't been planning whether I should welcome the man or simply slap him for what he's done, you know," she said dryly. She stood up, grabbing Nanami's arm for support. "Oops. Sorry." Miyu steadied herself, grinning sheepishly. "But there's one thing I'm sure I wouldn't do if I bump into Kanata," she finally said determinedly.

"What's that?" the short-haired girl asked warily.

"I wouldn't mention Hana to him."

**X**

Bump.

"Hey!"

"Oops! I'm so sorry!" Miyu apologized, as she skirted clumsily through the park.

Bump.

"Watch out where you're going!"

"I really am sorry!"

Kanata? Miyu skated through town dangerously, grabbing a person or a tree nearby every so often. The thought of him made her lose her balance, she decided, trying to regain composure. So far, she crashed into a tree, an old man, a dog and a fountain. So far, she hadn't killed anyone, not even the old man who nearly had a heart attack at the sight of her speeding towards him.

I need an energy booster, she thought darkly, spotting the ice cream truck. And ice cream is just the medicine I needed. She skated (more like half-skated and half-stumbled) towards the truck, and was greeted by Mr. Hiroshi.

"What it'll be, Miyu-chan?" he asked cheerfully, lifting her spirits, even for just a bit. He chuckled as she nearly fell. "Skates are dangerous things, I know," he said with a wink.

"Hey, Mr. Hiroshi," Miyu greeted, hanging on firmly on the counter. "A big strawberry scoop to wash my sorrows, please."

"Sorrows?" He neatly scooped some light pink ice cream onto a cone, adding another scoop for a bonus. "Why? Is there a matter with Hana?" he asked concernedly.

Miyu's heart melted right then and there. She knew Mr. Hiroshi since she was a kid, and this is the truck that holds a lot of memories of her past. Also, Mr. Hiroshi was like a father to her when her own parents were away. He also didn't judge her when she told him she was pregnant, rallied beside her, and accepted Hana as his own granddaughter.

Miyu shook her. "No, Hana's fine," she assured him. "It's just that I had a lot in my mind lately, and wanted to relax."

"Oh." Mr. Hiroshi nodded sympathetically. "Here." He added another scoop of strawberry ice cream on her cone. "Hope it makes things easier, Miyu-chan."

"Loads better," she said, kissing his cheek in thanks.

"Say hello to Hana from me," he said, waving his white cap.

"I will!" she called back, skating as her ice cream swayed from left to right.

She was about a few feet away when she was skating well. "Okay, good," she muttered underneath her breath, as she was balancing on her skates. She wasn't teetering now—

--until a child bumped her from behind and sent her towards downhill.

Miyu gave out a shriek, still gripping her cone tightly. It was a good thing it didn't break in her hand.

Then a man went directly in front of her, and she knew she will hurt him. "Get out of the way!" she yelled.

The man caught her, and she was thankful she hadn't managed to kill him right then and there. Unfortunately, things didn't go the way she planned. Her ice cream made a, uh, colorful impression on the guy's pristine shirt, and she couldn't bear to see his face.

Was he angry? Furious?

Why me, she asked with a silent groan.

"I am so, so terribly sorry," Miyu apologized, trying to get back on her feet, which was difficult with her skates on. Damn. Why didn't she simply walked here? "Let me offer you my handkerchief. I don't know why, but my balance was a bit off today, and I was teetering around on—" Gathering the courage to look him in the eye, Miyu lifted her head and met a pair of familiar brown eyes.

Why was he so familiar—?

Miyu's jaw dropped, as recognition crept up to her and reality came tumbling down. "Ka-Kanata?" she choked out, her free hand covering her lips. "What on earth are you--?"

His lips moved. "Miyu?"

They stood facing each other for a fraction of a second, before Miyu involuntarily raised her left hand and threw the ice cream cone straight at him—landing on his shirt with another soft _splat_. Then, unbelievably, she skated well and not tripping at all as she tried to escape. "You jerk!"

She spun around and left, hearing him yell, "Miyu!"

**Ohmygod! **Miyu's mind screamed silently. Kanata Saionji, the **father **of **her** daughter, is here in Japan! What the hell? Since when? How long is he going to stay here? What is the reason why he is here? Shit. Shit. Shit. Questions raced across Miyu's mind, and she skated towards the exit of the park.

"Miyu! Wait!" she heard him call out. "Look out!"

His blood-curling scream entered her ears before she heard a sharp, metal sound and a screech of brakes, then she blacked out.

**X**

"Miyu."

Miyu tried to open her eyes, and immediately closed her eyes again. Too bright, she thought. Something warm and soft touched her cheek. She relaxed, not knowing why. It could be anyone.

"Hey, Miyu," the voice repeated again.

And she opened her eyes quickly. She knew who it was. Worried golden-brown eyes stared back at her. "Kanata?" Miyu whispered, her mouth parched. She struggled to sit up, and found herself on a bed. "Where am I? What happened?" She gingerly rubbed her back. "I ache."

Relief and anger surged through Kanata, two different emotions confusing him. "You idiot," he told her angrily, though his voice wasn't loud. Miyu winced at his anger. It was her fault, really. If only she looked both ways before crossing the street… wasn't that the thing she taught Hana early on? How on earth could she forget?

"…it's a good thing I pushed you out of the way and weren't hurt," Kanata continued, still staring at her. "You only have a slight bruise on your leg, you may limp a bit, since you were on skates. But other than that, the doctor said you're fine."

A bright pink stain was evident on his polo shirt, and Miyu was ashamed. Here he was, being her knight in shining armor, and here she was, the one who threw an ice cream on his shirt. "I'm sorry about your shirt," she mumbled, not meeting his eyes. "It was just a reflex action, you know…"

Kanata forced out a laugh. "It's nothing. Don't worry." He stood up abruptly. "Wait a minute. I'll just get the doctor. You might have a bump somewhere."

Miyu licked her lips. "I'm fine."

"I know." He stopped at the doorway and looked at her. For a moment there, Miyu saw the old Kanata. The Kanata whom she laughed with, made jokes with. Who knew her as herself. He smiled. "You have a stubborn head." Kanata blushed, and Miyu bit her lip.

Awkward.

"I'll just go call the doctor," Kanata said, leaving the room. "Be right back."

Kanata is here in Heiomachi, Miyu realized, the though finally sinking in. And Hana too. Their daughter. How on earth will she go through this?

_Like a season that refuses to change.  
A stubborn winter growing colder every day  
Give me something that can warm me up again.  
I swear to let it in..._

Could she let him be a part of their lives?

**X**

"Why on earth are you here," Miyu demanded, as she sat at the edge of her bed, trying to force herself to stand. "I thought you went out ages ago."

Kanata raised an eyebrow. "Why, it won't be a problem if I drive you home, Miyu," he said sarcastically, as he slowly approached her bed. "Sheesh. Take about being grateful—"

"WHAT!" Miyu stood up, causing her foot to experience tremendous pressure. She yelped and sat back, nursing her bruised foot.

Kanata grasped her foot and began massaging it, trying to take her pain away. "You idiot," he said roughly. "You're too impulsive. Try to remember to take care of yourself, okay?"

"I don't need you to be my nanny, Kanata," Miyu snapped, wriggling her toes. "I can take care of myself."

"Uh huh." His tone was dry. "Humor me then." He stood up gracefully, the ice cream stain still on his shirt. It looked ridiculous. It didn't give Miyu the satisfaction she was expecting. He picked up a plastic bag, which, Miyu realized after a moment, contained her rollerblades. Damn. He offered his other free hand. "Here."

Miyu lifted her chin stubbornly. "I can walk." And when she did, Miyu bit her lips to keep herself from screaming out loud and from making an utter fool out of herself. She got as far as the door (hobbling towards it, I may add) before Kanata got fed up and lifted her in his arms—bridal style.

Miyu yelped. "What the--? Kanata, put me down!" Doctors, nurses and patients a like watched as she rambled on. "This is so embarrassing! And who gave you the permission to—?"

"No one," Kanata said cheerfully, as they neared the entrance. "Will you stop being so damn stubborn?" He opened the passenger seat with one hand, and put Miyu firmly on the seat and strapped her securely with the seatbelt. "Stay put."

"Stay put?" Miyu repeated furiously. "What am I? A dog?"

"No, but a dog will most certainly be easier to handle than you," Kanata muttered beneath his breath, as he crossed to the driver's seat.

"What was that?"

"Nothing." Kanata gunned the engine to life, and he looked at Miyu. "Where to?" he asked, rather cheerfully, which irritated Miyu to no end.

"Do you honestly think I'll tell you where I live?" Miyu demanded, raising an eyebrow. She crossed her arms.

Kanata smiled. "Yes. Because you know why? You'll be stuck with me until you get home safely."

Miyu hesitated. "Are you serious?" she asked uncertainly, but she knew the glint in Kanata's eyes. Damn.

He nodded. "Stop acting like a child, Miyu." He exited the hospital parking lot. "Now tell me where you live."

Miyu sighed. "Turn left…" she directed, pointing a street.

Kanata smiled victorious.

**X**

"Miyu!" Nanami ran out of the house as she saw Miyu limped towards the front door. "What happened--?" Her eyes flew to Kanata and her jaw dropped. "Ka-Kanata?" she squeaked, nervously looking at her friend. "What are you doing here?"

Kanata frowned. "I should ask you the same question," he said smoothly. "I thought you were babysitting for a friend."

Nanami flushed and Miyu gritted her teeth. Not happening. "I was," Nanami lied, crossing her fingers behind her bag. "What are you doing here? And—"

"Hello, injured girl here," Miyu said, shooting Nanami a We-Will-Talk-Later-Because-You-Have-Lots-To-Explain Look. "Help, please." Kanata immediately rushed to her side, but she waved him off. "Nanami-chan will help me."

Kanata opened his mouth to say something, but Nanami rushed to Miyu's side to help her. "Where's Hana?" Miyu whispered, her eyes darting at Kanata's direction.

"Inside," Nanami whispered back, "singing the new song you taught her—"

"_When I see your smile, tears run down my face…"_ The song stopped the adults in the middle of the path. The piano accompanying the voice was breathtaking, the sound acquiring different reactions from the adults. Kanata looked dumbfounded, Nanami bit her lip, and Miyu paled. No. Not now, she begged. _"I can't replace… and now that I'm strong I have figured out how this world turns cold and it breaks through my soul…"_ the voice continued.

Kanata involuntarily flinched at the song, and memories came rushing through him. _Cherry blossoms. His mother's death._ His eyes drifted towards Miyu, whose expression is bordering on horrified. "Who's singing our song?" he asked huskily.

_Our song._

Goosebumps prickled her skin, and adrenalin was rushing through her veins. Miyu couldn't help it, but she and Kanata shared a private look that wasn't seen by Nanami. She took a deep breath. Should she tell him?

"…_and I know I'll find deep inside me… I can be the one… I will never let you fall… I'll stand up with you forever… I'll be there for you through it all… even if saving you sends me to heaven…" _Hana's voice rang through their ears, wiping out everything from Miyu's mind, except:

"She's my daughter…"

Kanata stared at her in surprise.

**Next on **_**Seasons of Love:**_ Father and daughter. Face-to-face. Will Kanata finally realize that Hana is actually his daughter?

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**AN: **Yeah, I used the same song again. "Your Guardian Angel" by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. And I took a part of the lyrics from the song "You're the One". Okay, you may be wondering why I used the name 'Hana' instead of 'Miu'. Well, the name has become so common, and I wanted to try new names. And it seemed perfect, so I went along with it. Besides, it sounded exactly like 'Miyu' so it may be a little confusing when it's pronounced.

Finally, the two met again. And soon, father and daughter. It's no doubt that Kanata is Hana's dad. Haha. Hope you guys like the chapter, and I'm so sorry for the slow update!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY, PEOPLE OF THE WORLD! :]


	4. A Reason to Stay

I don't own any of the characters. I just borrow them, like the other writers in this fandom.

_**Seasons of Love**_

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**Chapter Four: A Reason to Stay**

Kanata felt restless.

He made a huge mistake coming back here in Heiomachi. No, it was a necessity coming back. It was a mistake coming to that park, then bumping into _**her**_. He knew he would feel something when he came face to face with Miyu, but nothing could've prepared him for the moment when he did.

He debated whether he should stay in a hotel downtown, but decided it was a waste of money. Hello. He has a perfectly good home right here. He missed his father. And oddly enough, he felt guilty that his phone calls were scarce. The fact that his father was lonely bothered him like hell, but when he came home, his father was happy to see him.

"Welcome home, son," Hosho Saionji had greeted him with tears in his eyes. He was hugging him with all his might, and Kanata held on, hoping this hug would make up for all the lost years. "I'm glad you're back," he had whispered.

Now, his father was cleaning the temple. And he, Kanata, had nothing important to do. Actually, his laptop was chock-full of emails that badly needed his attention; calls that needed to be taken cared of, but he made no move to do any of those things.

He paced up and down the hall, his heart beating fast for no reason.

"You know, you're going destroy the floor with your running back and forth like that," his father told him calmly, after discovering his son was doing the same thing for the past hour.

Kanata smiled sheepishly and sat on the porch. "Sorry," he muttered, rubbing the back of his head. "Don't know what's with me."

But Hosho knew. He sat beside his son and patted his shoulder. "Kanata," he said quietly, "I know this must be hard for you."

Kanata looked up, confusion swirling in his eyes. "What do you mean, Oyaji?"

He smiled, albeit sadly. "I know how much you tried to avoid your home. The pain is still here, isn't it?" God. He knew how much it hurts. Even after years, her death still has the same effect on him.

Kanata looked down. "I know it shouldn't hurt anymore," he whispered, "but it's still there. It wouldn't go away."

Hosho sighed. "Kanata, even if a hundred years passed, the pain wouldn't go away," he told his son, his heart aching for him. How he must've suffered while he was in a foreign country. "We should move on. I have moved on."

"You got over, Mom?"

In that moment, the distant sound of a bell being rung was heard. It was six o'clock. The sun was slowly disappearing beneath the horizon, casting the town in gold and orange. Father and son were quiet for a moment, before Hosho spoke up, his voice soft and laced with emotions. "I thought I would never get over Hitomi's death, son. But grieving for her wasn't the answer. I've grieved, mourned, cried." He stood up, his face facing the sunset. "But I've moved on. Moving on doesn't mean forgetting, Kanata. And although the pain's still there, I've found reasons to live and be happy."

Kanata mulled at his father's words. For some reason or another, it struck a chord in him. Facing the past was never his forte. And it will never be, he acknowledged. But he will try.

Hosho smiled at the determination on his son's face. _He'll be all right, Hitomi_, he thought. _Despite running away from everything, he came back._

Before Hosho could disappear and set dinner, he heard Kanata say, "Thanks, Oyaji."

He smiled. "I know you have a lot of unfinished business, Kanata. But I hope you find the reason to stay here in Heiomachi. After all, this is your home. Nothing's going to change it." And he left.

Maybe it is time to face his shadows, Kanata thought. Unknowingly, he was traveling around the world without a purpose. A purpose that can't be easily found anywhere.

**X**

"I can't believe it he's here and you didn't tell me," Miyu hissed at the phone, as she tried to assemble the ingredients she needed in order to make dinner. Spaghetti, chicken and a salad. Sounds as if she was having a party, but Miyu was far from rejoicing.

"_I didn't know what to say!"_ came Nanami's defensive answer from the other line. _"God, Miyu-chan! What could I have said? 'Hey, the father of your child is right here in Heiomachi. He looked like he stumbled out of Vogue. I thought you would've liked to know' isn't going to cut it, Miyu!"_

Miyu gritted her teeth. "It would've been better than nothing," she informed her friend, getting the pan from the top most shelves.

"_I didn't know he was going to be at the park! And I thought you were doing some grocery shopping,"_ Nanami's accusing voice said. _"Miyu, it was hard, okay? I didn't know what to do."_

Now Miyu felt guilty. It wasn't Nanami-chan's fault. Not in the slightest. She knew her friends were still puzzled over their break-up. It wasn't fair on their part. "I'm sorry, Nanami-chan," she apologized, setting the pan on the stove. "I just… snapped. It was a shock seeing him, and I didn't know what to do."

Nanami laughed. _"I guess we're on the same page, huh?"_

Miyu smiled. "Yeah, I guess."

"_How's the ankle?"_

"Good. Considering the drama I had to go through…" Miyu could clearly remember the way he soothed her, they way he guided her through this whole ordeal. Damn. Why was he on her mind… again?

A slight pause.

"_Miyu?"_

Involuntarily, Miyu's hand tightened over the phone. "Hm?"

"_What if Kanata found out Hana's his daughter? What would you do?"_

"That would never happen, Nanami-chan," Miyu replied, more confidently than she felt.

"_Miyu, it isn't time to be impractical,"_ Nanami told her friend. _"What if? Huh? Hana has some character traits that are so Kanata-like that it's scary."_

"You think I don't know that?" Miyu sighed and sat down on the stool. She could hear Hana laugh gaily inside the living room, as she watched some cartoon. Hana was three-and-a-half. Soon, she would turn four in the autumn, and then she'll start preschool. Hana's smart and cheerful, always ready to make friends with anyone. In more ways than one, she was becoming more like Kanata. "Even his father didn't know his own granddaughter was living right here in Heiomachi. Mom and Dad don't even know who fathered her, though they have their suspicions."

"_What would you do?"_

"I—"

_Ding-dong. Ding-dong._

Miyu breathed in a sigh of relief. "Nanami-chan, there goes the doorbell," she told her friend. She wasn't ready to answer yet. She doesn't know what she will do, actually. "I've got to go. Call you later, okay?"

"_But, Miyu—"_

_Click. Beep._

Miyu ended the phone call and limped towards the front door. Hana peered from the living room, clad in a pair of pink pajamas (or jammies, as she'd like to call them). "The doorbell, Mommy," she announced solemnly. "Want me to get it?"

Miyu grinned. "No thanks, sweetheart. You're still not over your flu. Go rest."

"Okay…"

Miyu waited for Hana's attention to revert back to the television, before limping towards the door. Hana was sure that she wouldn't be able to walk again, Miyu thought amusedly, as she opened the door. "Yes—?"

Shock went through her body in waves, as she registered the presence of the person she wouldn't want to cross paths with that evening. Well, she didn't even think that they would cross paths that evening. Saionji Kanata. "What are you doing here?" she demanded, wanting to slam the door in his face.

Kanata winced at the sound of her voice. He lifted a few packages, offering them as a peace offering. "Dinner," he answered honestly. "Thought you might not want to cook with your ankle and everything. And I heard from Tenchi-san that your daughter—" _Yeah. Daughter,_ Kanata thought silently. "—is sick. You guys might need some cheering up."

Miyu raised an eyebrow. "And you came here to audition as the clown?" she asked sarcastically. She tried to close the door, but Kanata, six feet tall and muscle packed, just wouldn't let her. "Thanks, but no thanks."

"Mommy? Who is it?" Hana's childish voice came closer.

Damn. Miyu pinned a smile instantly as her daughter appeared beside her, driven by curiosity. "Hello," Hana said shyly, popping a thumb in her mouth.

Miyu's heart pounded loudly, so loudly, and she was surprised that no one could hear it. Oh, please. Why now? When I'm gauche and so not prepared for this day? Miyu prayed.

"Hello there," came Kanata's smooth answer. He folded his height to Hana's so he could see her properly. For a moment, Kanata felt something towards the little girl. Warmth spread through him. He extended a hand. "I'm Kanata. A friend of your mother's." He looked up and challenged her to say something else.

Miyu glared back. He knew that she couldn't be rude in front of her daughter.

Hana smiled, a dimple appearing on her cheek. She spotted the package he was carrying, and asked, "Are you having dinner with us?" She looked up at her mother, who was battling with her emotions internally. "Mommy, can have dinner with us? Please?"

Miyu hesitated. Should they? This was a disaster waiting to happen. "I don't know, sweetheart," she said, her eyes pleading Kanata not to say something else. "But I think Mr. Saionji here is busy—"

Kanata stood up and grinned evilly. "Not busy at all," he assured both girls. Hana squealed in delight and clapped her hands.

"Fine," Miyu said shortly, opening the door wider.

"Such a gracious answer," Kanata murmured, laughter in his eyes.

"Stuff it."

Hana extended her hand and Kanata took it gratefully. "You can eat beside me," she decided, leading him inside the house. "I've been ill for days and days—"

Although Miyu was irritated as hell, she smiled at her daughter. "Honey, you were only sick for two days," she gently told her.

"Well, it seemed longer, Mommy."

Kanata looked back at Miyu, who was limping steadily behind them. "Need any help?" And, without waiting for her reply, Kanata shifted his package and picked up Miyu—bridal-style.

Hana squealed, while Miyu sputtered out, "What on earth are you doing?" She wanted to punch the man for intruding their home.

"Making things easier for you," he replied, as they climbed the stairs that leads to the tiny kitchen. "I wonder how you deal climbing up and down these stairs?" He deposited her on the stool she was using earlier, and Hana began to get a plate and utensils for their guests.

"For goodness sake, Kanata," Miyu said, rubbing her ankle. "It was only three steps! I don't need a babysitter!"

Hana coughed and frowned, handing Kanata the plate. "Yeah. Mommy doesn't need a babysitter," she said, rubbing her eyes. "She's too old."

Kanata unloaded the package he was carrying. Toasted garlic bread, chicken soup, macaroni smothered in melted cheese… Miyu painfully accepted the fact that dinner was looking a whole lot delicious. Especially when…

"I love macaroni and cheese!" Hana exclaimed, glancing appreciatively at the man who brought them food. He was Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and the Fairy Godmother all rolled into one.

"You do? Me, too! It's my favorite food." Kanata chatted on easily with her daughter. Hana's eyes were sparkling, despite having the flu. No, **their** daughter.

Miyu rolled her hands into fists. Something deep inside her wanted to push Kanata away, but there was also this something that wanted him to get closer… to bond with his daughter that he never knew he had. And right now, Miyu wanted to get a camera and capture this moment forever.

Hana was sitting on a stool, leaning towards Kanata as he chatted on the places he has seen, while laying out bread and spooning soup into bowls. Her heart constricted. They looked… like father a daughter, Miyu painfully acknowledged.

Half an hour later, Hana was chatting to "Uncle Kanata" about the kitty she found days earlier. And about her favorite ice cream. About Aunt Nanami, Aunt Aya, Uncle Santa, Uncle Nozumo and Aunt Chris. About Uncle Nozumo and Aunt Chris' new baby that'll be coming soon.

Kanata responded warmly and easily to Hana, and he listened to what she was saying, always laughing when she made jokes. He was, Miyu realized, was a father. Though not knowing it, he was.

Her face smeared with sauce and cheese, Hana grinned. "I'm glad I met you, Uncle Kanata," she announced, smiling widely at him. "When are you going to visit us again?"

That's when Miyu jumped in. she knew for a fact that Kanata was only here because of Santa's wedding and business. After that, he would go back to America. "Oh, honey," she said, taking no notice of Kanata's pointed gaze. "Uncle Kanata isn't going to stay here for long. He has business to take care of in America, which is located thousands of miles from here."

_Well, this is not your fault_

_But if I'm without you,_

_then I will feel so small—l_

_And if you have to go_

_Always know that you shine brighter_

_than anyone does_

Hana frowned. "So you're not coming back?" she asked sadly.

Right then and there, it hit Kanata with a _thump_. He was staying here in Heiomachi. It's time to meet with his shadows, to end the pain. His eyes drifted to Miyu, who was clearing the table. Despite the denials, he still wasn't over her. And she was soon easily filling the void where she left. And this little girl right here, he thought, now had a special place in his life, despite meeting only an hour ago.

_If you run away now_

_Will you come back around?_

Maybe he does have a reason to stay.

"I'm going back to America tomorrow, Hana," Kanata said clearly, but he was looking at Miyu. "But I'm coming back in Heiomachi after a week. That's a promise."

Hana's face lighted up. "You promise?" she asked eagerly. She held out her pinky. "You swear? Pinky promise?"

Kanata laughed and hooked pinkies with her. It felt right. "I promise."

_I'd wave goodbye_

_Watching you shine bright—_

_I'll wave goodbye tonight_

Hana launched herself towards Kanata for a hug.

**X**

After Miyu bathed Hana and settled her in her bed, Miyu faced Kanata in the kitchen, where he made two cups of coffee.

Kanata took one look at her and offered the cup. "You're not pleased." It was statement.

Miyu ignored the coffee and placed her hands on her hips. "How dare you make a promise with her like that!" she accused. "What if you break that promise, Kanata? You'll be just leaving a broken little girl! She's taken to you, didn't you realize that?"

"Of course I did." His eyes hardened. "But I'm keeping this promise, Miyu. I'm coming back from America next week."

Miyu sat on the stool. "Why are you here?" she whispered, her voice cracking. "Why'd you have to come?"

His heart ached. Ached because of the pain he caused her. "Because I needed to make amends. To make peace." He placed the cup on the sink and started for the front door. "And to do so, I have to stop running away from the past."

Miyu didn't believe him, until he uttered in the darkness, "I'll be back," with conviction so hard to ignore.

**Next on **_**Seasons of Love:**_ After a week, the gang went to the beach for some summer fun. Will Kanata show up, or would he just disappoint the family he never knew he had?

**

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AN:** I can't believe it. I finished this in two days. I don't know why, but I have a lot of inspiration for this story. Must be the music that's jammed in my head. Paramore, Paramore, Paramore, THANK YOU! Hail the coolest band ever!

Oh, yeah! The lyrics italicized are from the song called "Brighter" by Paramore. Listen to it! It's so cool! (Isn't it obvious that I'm a Paramore girl?)

**PS.** I also want to thank the following people for their awesome reviews! _**Telly, Ayu-iza, jdcocoagirl, Wishful Thinkings, misstruthfully, Miyu kouzuki, ficlover08, ayame11midori, milkylane18, ahvs **_(thanks for the encouragement, dude!)_**, '-'FreedomFairy'-', Square-Enix Fan **_and _**CrushedLove**_ (I so love your review! It made my day better! Thanks a whole bunch!). You guys stuck through me, even if it took me weeks and months to update! I love you all!


	5. Promises Aren't Meant to be Broken

I don't own any of the characters. I just borrow them, like the other writers in this fandom.

_**Seasons of Love**_

_o_

_o_

_o_

**Chapter Five: Promises Aren't Meant to be Broken**

"Eek! No, Uncle Santa!" Hana yelped, giggling and laughing as she ran towards the surf. She was dressed in her pink bathing suit, her blonde hair tied into two pigtails. "You're scary!"

Santa was right behind her, dressed in a bright yellow and lime green board shorts, his chest slathered with tanning lotion, as well as his face. Two pieces of seaweed were hanging from his hair, and he chased after Hana, shouting, "I am the Seaweed Monster! Beware, Hana! I am going to get you!"

Hana squealed in terror and delight, but instead of running away, she was standing on the edge of the ocean, yelling, "No! Get away from me! Bad Seaweed Monster! No!"

As Santa advanced, Nozumo appeared in red hot shorts, a stick in his hand. "I am Wet Man! The savior of the damsel in distress," he kneeled and kissed Hana's hand, who giggled in response, "and the defender of the weak," Nozumo finished as he stood up.

"Wet Man? Are you nuts?" Santa asked, slowing down in front of Nozumo. "That sounded like it came from a diaper commercial. Wet Man! I am here to protect you from the inconvenience of peeing in your diapers."

Hana sat on the water, laughing hysterically.

Nozumo's face resembled that of a poor puppy, but his eyes were twinkling in laughter. "I think it's great. Wet Man. We're by the ocean, see? It's perfect!"

"No, it's not, honey!" Chris called out from their place underneath a series of palm trees. "And Santa's right. It sounds as if it came from a diaper commercial. How lame can you get?"

Nozumo looked wounded beyond belief, that Hana, who was still grinning, made her way towards her uncle and patted his shoulder. "Don'tcha worry, Uncle Nozumo," she declared, "you're still a great superhero, even though your name is so funny."

Nozumo gave her a wry smile and ruffled her hair. "Thanks a lot, Hana. At least a little girl came to realize that I am a handsome and very nice hero, despite the comical name, eh?"

Christine shook her head, amused, while Santa retorted, "Comical? More like hilarious," which sent Hana into a fit of laughter again. Santa and Nozumo's face lighted up, and they continued to bicker about petty things, making Hana laugh harder.

The half-French, half-Japanese turned to her friends, who were all laughing at the spectacle their friends were making. The women—Christine, Nanami, Aya, Miyu and Santa's fiancée, Akane, who managed to get away from work—were all sitting around a huge picnic table, food of all kinds laid out.

Chris-chan, who would be giving birth in approximately three weeks, invited the whole gang for a picnic by the beach before things get hectic for her. Everyone immediately agreed and contributed to the food and materials for a day at the beach. Well, everyone except Kanata.

Miyu knew Hana was expecting him to come back, but for the life of her, she couldn't tell her little girl that he wasn't coming. It had already been a week and two days, and he still hasn't come back.

"Miyu-chan, you all right?"

Miyu looked up to Akane, who was holding two glasses of iced-cool lemonade. "Oh, Akane-chan," she said, taking the glass gratefully. "Yeah. I'm all right. How's the wedding coming?" she added, as the other girl sat beside her.

Akane's eyes sparkled. "Everything's going great," she gushed, gesturing. "The wedding planners are doing great, and as far as I'm concerned, everything's going the way I planned it to."

"Huh? Kurosu-kun isn't helping?" Nanami sat beside Akane.

Akane laughed. "Not at all," she confessed, her eyes drifting to her fiancé at the surf. "He told me if anything goes wrong, he wasn't the one to blame. Guys," she said, rolling her eyes.

"I second the motion," Christine said, gingerly sitting herself on a wicker chair that Nozumo brought with them. Aya sat on the blanket on the sand. "Guys are so hard o understand. They can be so tough and macho, but when it comes to women stuff, they run to the other direction."

Everyone laughed.

"So who is the maid of honor?" Aya asked, lathering some sun block on her arms.

"A friend of mine back from university," Akane answered. "She's partnered with Kanata-kun, since he is Santa's best friend."

Silence.

Akane looked around. "What's wrong?" she asked, confused. "Did I say something?"

"Not at all," Miyu swiftly interjected. "I—"

But Christine interrupted her. "Miyu-chan, come on. Out with it." She shifted in her seat, stroking her belly. "It's not healthy for a person to bottle it up."

Miyu sighed and stared at the sea ahead. "Okay. It's just that Kanata came to my house a few nights ago—"

"WHAT!?" Four faces looked amused. "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US?"

Miyu hid behind her glass and gave them a weak grin. "Peace?"

**X**

"WHAT!? WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US?"

Hana, Nozumo and Santa froze in their tracks, their heads swiveling towards where the women sat. "Why are they yelling?" Hana wanted to know.

Nozumo and Santa shrugged. "They're women," Nozumo said with a grin.

Hana looked up at him. "That's enough to be the reason?"

Santa guffawed. "Yes, Hana," he replied wryly. "That's enough to be a reason. Women are these mysterious human beings that have a lot of knowledge stored up in their minds. They are devious and cunning and have intuitions that alert them everything that is happening around the people they are close with."

Hana looked at him in awe. "Will I be like that when I grow up?" she asked.

Santa and Nozumo grimaced. "Unfortunately, you will."

**X**

"—and we had dinner in our house," Miyu continued as soon as her friends calmed down. "And he met Hana…"

"And?" Akane, Christine, Aya and Nanami looked at her eagerly.

"Nothing." Miyu shrugged. "Hana liked him a lot, and Kanata seems to adore her… well, you know Hana is easy to love. So it's come to no surprise that he instantly likes her."

"Or maybe there's more to that," Nanami said knowingly. They all stared at her. "Hello. He's her father! It's obvious they have a bond, Miyu-chan! They're related by blood."

Miyu glanced at her cup and circled its rim with her index finger. "I don't know what to think," she said quietly. "I can't even think straight. Kanata's here again. It's obvious he will be back for Santa's wedding, but I'm still debating whether he should know about Hana or not."

"Miyu-chan," Aya said softly, "he has a right to know. He's the father. And you can't keep a secret big as this to yourself forever."

"It's not exactly a secret," she replied uneasily. "You guys know."

"You know what we mean, Miyu-chan," Christine said, shifting her body in her seat. She grinned. "This baby just won't stay still. I think he's going to be one hell of a kicker."

"Must be from my side, babe," Nozumo called, having heard the last statement. "Because you certainly aren't a kicker!"

They all laughed.

**X**

Hana got chased around by Uncle Nozumo and Uncle Santa. Of course, she got caught just as her feet reached the surf. When the adults went back to make small talk, Hana got bored. It was hard being the only kid, she realized. She can't wait until Aunt Christine and Uncle Nozumo's baby make an appearance in the world. Her mommy told her that will be next month.

A month earlier. Before her birthday.

Hana kicked the sand and decided to make a sandcastle to pass some time. She went by the surf and collected some pretty shells to decorate her castle with. Uncle Nozumo taught her how to make good sandcastles.

She got her pail and filled it to the brim with sand. The she turned it over, waited a beat and took the pail off. "Nice," she murmured, carefully placing a shell on its side. Uncle Santa told her to not press the shell onto the sand too hard, just in case her castle might collapse.

All of her uncles were taking good care of her. But sometimes, Hana wished she could have a daddy that could take the time to teach her how to bike, to tell her cool stories, to have someone carry her on his back, to teach her how to make the perfect sandcastle—

Then the vision of a tall, brown-haired guy entered Hana's mind. Saionji Kanata was so nice to her. If she was going to have a father, she wished he would be the one, or maybe someone similar to him.

**X**

Kanata uncertainly stepped on the sand, searching for the sign of his friends. Santa invited him through email to come and spend some time with them on the beach this weekend, if he ever had the time to do so. The day he promised Miyu and Hana that he will be back.

Dressed in a thin, cotton polo shirt, khaki shorts and flip flops, he immediately caught sight of the table set underneath a series of palm trees. He saw the gang laughing and talking, and he felt a twinge of homesickness. How he missed them.

In that moment, a woman with blonde hair turned around and spotted him. Her jaw was slightly opened in surprise, and Kanata chuckled at the sight. It was Miyu. Santa, noticing that Miyu was looking at something, turned around and a big smile broke his face.

"Kanata!" he bellowed, waving his hands. "Hurry up, slow poke. Or the food will be finished by Tenchi-san in a minute—"

"Shut up, Kurosu!" Nanami said with a grin, who was in the process of putting a bite-sized watermelon in her mouth. "You're exaggerating. And, FYI, I nearly bought everything on this table."

"Now **that** is exaggeration," Christine said wryly. Nozumo nodded. They were the ones who brought the most food, plus the tables and umbrellas used.

Everyone laughed as Kanata approached the table. Santa stood up and hugged Kanata, leading him to where Akane was sitting.

"Kanata, this is my beloved fiancée, Akane," Santa introduced proudly.

Akane smiled and shook hands with Kanata. "Nice to finally meet you," she said warmly, indicating a seat beside Santa. "Santa's been going on and on about you. I feel as if we're already friends."

Kanata laughed. "Thanks."

**X**

She was almost finished with her sandcastle. Hana carefully placed the last shell on top of the her tallest tower, hoping to everything that it won't fall down. She stepped back with a satisfied smile. It was perfect.

Mommy would be proud of her.

Just then, Hana heard someone from the direction of their picnic table shout. It was Uncle Santa, who was also waving his hands. Hana squinted her brown eyes, trying to get a better picture of who the person that was approaching their table.

Then a smile broke across her cute, little face. And ran.

**X**

"Kanata-kun, how's your ride?" Christine asked, standing up to give him a hug, which was awkward since Christine's belly was poking him.

"My ride's great, thanks for asking. Your little filly here apparently doesn't want me to get to close to the mom," he remarked, which sent the others laughing.

Nozumo grinned widely. "He's getting big, huh?" He gently led Chris back to her chair, handing her a glass of iced tea. "You better be here when this babe comes out, Saionji-kun."

Kanata nodded. "Of course. In fact, I've got news for you guys." His eyes sought out Miyu's, who was busy filling her glass with lemonade. "Big news." He wanted her to hear this. He wanted her to hear every word of this announcement.

"Well, what is it, Saionji-kun?" Aya asked, from her place on the sand. "Don't keep us in suspense." Everyone was staring at him, interested. This has to be something big.

Kanata cleared his throat. "I—"

"Uncle Kanata!"

Everyone—the whole gang—turned to the owner of the voice, who was running in her short legs, a bright smile on her face. Kanata smiled and stood up, and caught Hana in a fierce hug as she launched herself in his arms. She beamed when he kissed her forehead. "You're back! You kept your promise!" she exclaimed, her eyes twinkling. "Mommy! He kept his promise, just like he said!"

"Yes, honey…" Miyu said weakly, a tentative smile on her face.

"Of course, kiddo," Kanata replied cheerfully. "I promised, didn't I? And promises—" His eyes went to Miyu, who was watching the whole scene helplessly, a resigned expression on her face. "—aren't meant to be broken, right?"

Her blonde hair nodded enthusiastically. "You're right, Uncle Kanata!"

"Uncle Kanata?"

The question shot out of Santa's mouth unheeded, and he was immediately shot down with different dirty looks. He shrunk in his seat, a sheepish grin on his face. He sent Miyu an apologetic look that said: _I'm sorry, but I couldn't help it. I was surprised._

Miyu couldn't blame him.

Kanata, always the sharp and observant one, seemed to catch on that there was something. "Yeah. She calls me that. Is there something wrong with it, Santa?"

Santa, sure he would say something stupid if he dare open his mouth, shook his head. As not to say anything more, he crammed a piece of burger in his mouth, chewed quickly and swallowed, which got stuck in his throat. He began to cough and spat out his half-digested burger.

Hana scrunched up her face, and broke the slight tenseness of the atmosphere. "Eww, Uncle Santa. That's gross."

Everyone laughed.

Miyu went to Kanata's side and opened her arms to Hana. "Come on, sweetheart," she coaxed. "Uncle… Uncle Kanata—" She floundered on the name, and Santa coughed discreetly (which earned a jab on the ribs from Akane). "—was just about to make an announcement when you came. Want some lemonade?" They were too close, she realized. Hana was resting her head on his shoulder, and Kanata was holding her like a pro. Like a father.

But Hana pouted. "Mommy, I'm not thirsty."

Miyu shook her head. "Honey, Kanata was about to make an announcement. Let him talk with the others before you monopolize his attention."

Hana wrinkled her nose. "Monopoly? But I don't want to play, Mommy."

Christine, Aya, Akane and Nanami smiled, while Santa and Nozumo tried to hide their snickers to be polite. Miyu would've smiled, but she was worried. Worried that she was getting a tad too close to Kanata, who would be leaving soon. She was sure.

Meanwhile, Kanata laughed. "Sweetheart, your mommy didn't say 'monopoly'. She said 'monopolize'. It means capturing my attention."

Hana's mouth formed an O letter.

Then Kanata turned to Miyu. "I don't mind holding her," he said easily.

"But—"

Kanata's face turned serious for a moment. He leaned towards Miyu, and whispered, "You could stop worrying that I would hurt her. I won't. I would never dare to hurt your child."

And his eyes looked so serious that Miyu nearly let herself believe him.

"What you say to my Mommy?" Hana wanted to know, tilting her head.

Kanata turned to her daughter—no, _their_ daughter—and smiled. "I told your mom that she looks beautiful today," he said softly.

Miyu blushed. She wore a blue-green bikini, shorts and a transparent shirt. Her hair was tied back into a high ponytail, a few tendrils surrounding her flushed face. "Liar," she muttered.

Hana grinned.

"Okay, Saionji-kun," Nanami said, reaching for another piece of watermelon. "What's the big news? You seem so excited about it."

"Bought a plane?"

"A yacht?"

"Maybe an island close to Heiomachi?"

"No, no," Kanata said hastily. "Nothing like that."

"Then what?" they chorused.

Kanata let himself smile. "Well, my company's doing pretty well lately, that I decided to work from Heiomachi for a while—"

He didn't get to finish his sentence. Santa and Nozumo stood up and clapped his back. Nanami, Aya, Christine squealed, while Akane was laughing. Hana was clapping her hands. Miyu was smiling, albeit forcefully.

"For how long, Kanata?" Santa asked, looking earnestly at his friend.

"I'm not sure. But I'm guessing I could stay for months at end—"

"Yeah!" Another whoop went through the excited group.

"Mommy!" Hana cried. "Uncle Kanata's staying! He's staying!"

"That's great, honey…"

Just great. Let hell break loose.

…but somehow, there's this doubt that maybe things will be all right. Maybe.

_Well, there's a time for giving up,_

_Didn't wanna have to say it._

_All we're doing is building walls_

_And now there's too many barriers…_

**Next on **_**Seasons of Love:**_ A suitor becomes the reason of an appearance of a green-eyed monster, which then prompted a family dinner to remember.

**

* * *

AN:** I'm slow in updating right now. Really. I need a good dose of inspiration, damn it. I wanted to update _**Clashing Hearts**_ so bad, but I haven't even reached half of the story. Anyway, I'm so sorry for the short chapter. Oh, and the italicized part is a part of the song "Barriers" by David Archuleta. Talk about a cutie. :)

**Thanks for the reviews: **_**telly**_, _**missymace**_ (yup, guys are so incredibly dense, don't you think so?), _**jdcocoagirl**_, _**gakKuRi sHouJo**_ (Paramore is so friggin' cool, right? Hayley's vocals are like so good, and the music is so damn incredible. What's your favorite song?), _**Sapphire Rose E.**_, _**suohtakamura0828**_ (Kit! IMY!), _**misstruthfully**_ (yup, pumpkin is Kanata's favorite food, but he just said that to impress Hana), _**'-'FreedomFairy'-'**_, _**CrushedLove**_ (thanks for the reviews, dude!), _**Square-Enix Fan**_, _**Sparklillian**_ (drama? I don't think so. I think it's just right. Haha. Anyway, I don't think I could make it more… happier. Maybe the next chapter will be lighter), _**Mione12345**_ (thanks for the PM, dude. I so love it), _**potato string**_ (I AM A PARAMORE FAN TO THE BONE, GIRL! :D), _**'-'Kaori-cchi'-'**_, _**ufobabylover**_, and _**MiMaron3**_.

You guys rock my world!


	6. Suitors and a Familiar Feeling

**Announcement:** Hey. Are you aware of human trafficking? If not, go to to learn more about it. It is a crime, a very hideous crime, that can be stopped if we put our heads together. It would mean a lot to me if you visited that site. I heard about that site when I watched Paramore's Final Riot CD. Please visit the site. Imagine if that were someone you know… what would you do?

_**Seasons of Love**_

_o_

_o_

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**Chapter Six: Suitors and a Familiar Feeling**

It was nearing six o'clock. When Kanata drove towards the Kouzuki residence in his sports car, he stiffened at the sight before him: Miyu hugging a tall, dark-haired man. The man was hugging her back, and he dropped a kiss on her forehead. Apparently, he was leaving, judging from the way he kept saying good-bye to Hana, who was flashing the bast—err, man one of her incredible smiles.

Who was he?

Just then, Hana noticed him, and began to squeal in excitement. Kanata grinned as he got out of the car. The man stared at him, while Miyu's jaw dropped open, before hastily closing it as she spoke.

"Kanata! I didn't know you were coming," she said, smiling slightly as Hana ran to him and lunged.

"You're here!" she cried, her slender arms encircling his neck. "You visited!"

Kanata caught Hana with expert arms before lifting her up. "Oof! Hana, I think you're getting bigger!" he exclaimed, before turning towards her mother. "Well, I wanted to surprise you and Hana. I hope I'm not disturbing anything," he added, looking at the other man pointedly.

The man sensed the silent challenge. "Of course not," he replied smoothly. "I was just going, anyway." His gaze never wavered from Kanata's face. "Miyu-chan, see you soon?"

Miyu seemed glad that he was leaving, as she can feel the undercurrents between the two men. "Sure, Hiro-kun," she said. "Just call."

Taking no notice of Kanata, Hiro smiled at Hana and gave her a piece of candy. "I'll bring you the doll you wanted next time, Hana-chan," he said, giving her a wink.

Hana nodded enthusiastically. "Okay!" she grinned. "'Bye, Hiro-kun! Visit us soon!" And she gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Kanata waited for the man to drive off in his blue car before issuing the invitation. "Miyu," he said, as they entered the house, "I want to invite you and Hana to dinner tonight."

"Tonight?" Miyu parroted, looking wide-eyed.

"Dinner?" Hana grinned. "Awesome, Uncle Kanata! Where are we going?" she asked, plopping herself on the couch. "Mommy and I were s'pposed to eat leftover food from lunch. Then ice cream for dessert. Yummy. Chocolate is my favorite," Hana continued on, chattering as if she'd been best friends with Kanata since day one.

Kanata laughed and placed a hand on Hana's shoulder. "Slow down, sweetheart," he said with a grin. "How about asking your Mom first if she's okay with the plan, huh?" His chocolate-amber eyes sought hers, and she had been powerless to look away.

"Can we, Mom? Pretty, pretty please? With cherries on top?" her little girl begged, clasping her hands together.

A chance to spend some time with her daughter's father and her daughter? Miyu closed her eyes. She heard herself say, "Okay, why not? Hana and I will just change—"

She didn't finish as her daughter let out a yell and rushed upstairs. "I'm going to choose what to wear, okay, Mom?"

"Okay, honey." A slam and everything was silent again.

Kanata cleared his throat. "You know," he said, his voice gruff, "you could be a little more enthusiastic about everything."

Miyu glared at him. "It's hard when you are using Hana to blackmail me."

He moved closer to her. "Who was that man?" he asked, his voice rough. "One of your conquests?"

Miyu glared at him, her blood slowly simmering. "Are you mad? He's just a friend," she replied, her voice cold. "And what's it to you, anyway?"

He couldn't answer.

But she wasn't through yet. "And besides, compared to the women you've been seen with, don't you think you should examine your life before you meddle with my affairs? I can see whoever I damn want to see!"

"It isn't like that!" Kanata grounded out furiously. He didn't want her seeing anyone else. He didn't want to see Hana kissing a man who might find a way to probe Miyu's heart. He didn't want them to be happy with another man.

But you do want them to be happy, right?

"Then what is it like?" Miyu demanded, placing her hands on her hips. "On relationships, you might be an expert on how to catch a woman's attention and such. But on your commitment record, you and I both know you're an amateur."

A shadow crossed Kanata's eyes.

Miyu cursed fluently, noticing it. "Look, I'm sorry," she said, her tone softening. "I really shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry."

"Are you really?"

The question hit dead straight. She was. She was sorry for saying those cruel things. Despite what happened between them, it wasn't an excuse to act like a broken lover or a bitch. She was sorry that their relationship ended like this, because she knew that once upon a time, they were in love with each other. Totally in love with each other.

But that was then.

And this was now.

"Yes, I am."

Silence weighed between them.

Kanata wanted to tell her that he was sorry. For the pain that he had given her. For leaving her. He opened his mouth, but then Hana came bounding down from the staircase.

"I'm done!" she exclaimed, twirling in her blue summer dress. Her yellow hair was tied in a messy ponytail, but she looked absolutely adorable. Her brown eyes were sparkling, and a wide smile was on her face. She looked up at her mother, puzzled. "Mommy, you haven't changed yet."

Miyu forced out a laugh. "I know, baby," she said. "I'll go change. How about I brush your hair? It's a bit messy." She fondled the golden locks affectionately.

Hana pouted. "You have to change, Mommy," she persisted. "So that we can go out soon."

"But your hair—"

"I'll do it," Kanata cut in. He smiled at Hana. "Go and get your brush, honey." After Hana bounded off to her room, he said in a low voice. "How about a truce? For tonight. I want Hana to have a good time, and to not be caught in the middle of our fight."

Miyu didn't have any qualms about that. "Okay," she agreed quickly. "For Hana."

His stare was unwavering. "For Hana."

She couldn't take it anymore. "I'll—I'll just go and change." And she fled the room.

A truce. For Hana's sake.

_How could you deceive them?_ her mind cried. _They deserve the __**truth**__._

But not now, she decided, as she pulled out a green summer dress from her closet. She's not yet ready.

_Not now._

-

Kanata took them to a restaurant near the beach. The place served French fries, spaghetti, fried chicken—all American delicacies. Apparently, Hana was addicted to their French fries, and could only sample them whenever her mother had extra money, or if one of their friends decided to treat Hana.

The restaurant was a classic American restaurant in a foreign country. Pictures of places in the USA were framed and displayed on the wooden walls, and booths were lined up against the wide, glass windows.

Hana was ecstatic.

"What do you think could I order?" Hana asked, awe-struck as she stared at the variety of American food presented to her. She stood on her toes as she tried to read the menu before her.

"Well…" Hana gave a surprised shriek as Kanata lifted her up in his arms. He grinned at her. "I suggest you order a cheeseburger and fries, as well as a chocolate milkshake. That's usually the best option here." He tweaked her nose, which caused Hana to giggle. "And if you're still not full, maybe you could try a hotdog smothered in ketchup and mustard."

Miyu smiled. "I don't think she'll be able to eat all of that, Kanata," she said, eyeing the menu. "Anyway, let's order. I'm starving!"

The chose to eat alfresco, since the sky was clear and the moon was out. Hana and Kanata were teasing Miyu, saying that she should've ordered something unhealthier than a veggie burger.

"What is inside this burger?" Hana asked, poking her mother's burger with her fork. "It looks green." A pause. "So green."

"Of course it's green, honey," Kanata said, lifting Miyu's burger. "See? It has cabbage, lettuce, tomatoes—"

"Hey, don't tease my burger," Miyu defended, grabbing it with a glint in her eye. She was struggling hard not to laugh. "It's way healthier than your cheeseburgers and fries. Twenty years from now, Kanata, you'll be fatter than your father!"

"I'll take the risk," he replied airily. He gave a huge bite of his burger, glancing at Miyu who deliberately ignored him. "Yummy. Cheesy, meaty—it's heaven."

"Yeah," Hana said, her mouth full. She popped a fry in her mouth.

Miyu bit the edge of her lip. She was dying to taste it. Fats or pleasure? Kanata decided to put her out of her misery. "Here, eat," he said, offering his burger. "Forget about the pounds you will gain in the next few years. Live the moment."

Miyu huffed. "Fine," she replied, before taking a bite.

Kanata smiled. "Delicious, huh?" he asked.

She swallowed. "Yeah," she answered with a smile. A smudge of ketchup stayed at the edge of her mouth. She looked adorable.

Kanata couldn't resist it. He wiped the sauce with his thumb, his hand resting a fraction of second before he dropped it.

Miyu looked at him with wide eyes. "I could've done that," she muttered awkwardly.

He shrugged. "It was faster," he replied, but his heart was beating madly.

-

Before the evening ended, Kanata dragged the girls for walk in the beach. He and Miyu were holding Hana's hand, swinging her to and fro, emitting laughter from her. Behind them, the waves crashed, and the moon stood so still against the inky blackness of the sky.

Tired, Kanata laughingly collapsed on the sand. Miyu followed him with a plop, looking at Hana as she played with the edge of the waves.

"She's gorgeous, Miyu."

Miyu looked up at Kanata, and she held her breath as she saw something in his eyes—something she couldn't define. Was it love? Hana continued on splashing around, not paying attention to the two grownups.

_Seconds, hours, so many days  
You know what you want but how long can you wait?_

"Hey, I never asked you this before." Miyu watched as Kanata struggled with his words. He looked straight in her eyes. "I know it isn't my right to ask, but… who is Hana's father?"

Her world stopped.

_You are_, her voice cried out silently.

When she didn't respond, Kanata hurriedly added, "Of course, it's none of my business. I mean, it's your choice if you want to keep it a secret. I really respect that." Internally, Miyu was crying. Would he understand why she kept it a secret after he found out that _**he**_ was Hana's father? "I was just wondering, because…" Kanata took her hand in his and squeezed, smiling at her uncertainly, "…I think he's missing out a lot that's happening in Hana's life—and yours, too."

_Every moment lasts forever,  
when you feel you've lost your way_

It was then that Miyu found her voice. "I—um, that is," she stuttered, blushing under his scrutiny. "My relationship with Hana's father is… complicated."

He smiled understandingly. "It's all right," he said, still not letting go of her hand. And, dear god, help her, she didn't want him to.

"But Hana never ran out of male influences, despite not having a father," Miyu explained rather awkwardly. She didn't want him to think that she had it easy. Heck, being a single mother was never easy.

"Yeah, I know. There's Santa, Nozumo, your dad…"

"And Hiro-kun," she added.

Beside her, Miyu felt him stiffen. Did she say something wrong?

_What if my chances were already gone?  
I started believing that I could be wrong_

"This guy," Kanata began, not taking his eyes off Hana as she scurried off to find some shells, "Hiro-kun, um, seems so familiar with you guys. I mean, I never met while I was still her before."

"That's because I met him while I was giving birth," Miyu enlightened him. "I was at the mall when I started having contractions. Fortunately, Hiro-kun was beside me, and he offered to take me to hospital, since I couldn't reach any of our friends that time." She smiled at the memory. She was in a state of panic that she started to curse fluently that nearly has Hiro-kun's ears bleeding. "Afterwards, he helped me settle into motherhood, and knew Hana since she was a baby. Although, three months after Hana was born, he took off to America to visit his family. He came back a year and a half ago, and he and Hana hit off."

Something gripped Kanata by the reins, something he was immensely uncomfortable with. He was jealous. But he tried to hide it. "So Hiro-kun's really close to you and Hana, huh?" he asked casually.

"You may say that."

Something in the way Miyu spoke alerted Kanata's sixth sense. "What do you mean?"

Miyu hesitated. "He asked me to marry him."

Kanata felt his world exploded. Pain ran through his heart, leaving him drained. Everything that happened in his life came back to him in a painful memory.

"_I don't think I can handle things the way I used to…"_

"_Goodbye."_

"_I love you so much, Kanata."_

"_Please… don't leave…"_

And now this.

Then it struck Kanata that he wanted this family. This family that consists of a single mother and her daughter. And that he would fight tooth and nail to have them. He loves them.

He was aware of the fact that the feeling he had felt for Miyu years ago was still there, waiting to come out. He was scared back then, scared of loving someone and then losing her. Just like his mother. But he wasn't going to stand back and let someone have her.

"And did you agree?" he asked casually, although what he was feeling wasn't casual at all. _Dear god, please say __**no**_.

Miyu bit her lower lip. "Um, no," she answered softly, her eyes suddenly darkening. "I didn't."

His heart soaring, he asked, "Why?"

Miyu didn't respond right away. She stared at her daughter for a minute, watching her carefully. "Because it would be unfair for Hiro-kun," she replied, glancing at the sand below. "I like him, but I don't… love him. My heart… it's just… oh, I just don't love him the way he loves me."

"But he told me that he was willing to wait," Miyu added. "He said that maybe in the near future, I could learn to love him."

"And could you?"

Something in his voice made Miyu look up at him. He was looking at her seriously. "I—I—" she stammered, "I—I really don't know. For now, I don't think I could. We've known each other for a few years already, and I never thought of him that way." She felt him relaxed and wondered.

"Mommy!" Hana bounded up to them, a wide smile on her face. "Uncle Kanata! Look what I caught!" And she presented them each a small shell.

"It's pretty, honey," Miyu praised, kissing Hana on the cheek swiftly.

"Lovely," Kanata agreed, smiling indulgently at her.

Hana sat between Miyu and Kanata, chattering about everything and anything under the sun. Miyu couldn't help feel a little nostalgic. She snuggled further with Hana and Kanata, relishing the moment.

_But you gave me one good reason  
to fight and never walk away—_

"You know what?"

Both adult looked at Hana. "What?" Kanata asked, stroking back Hana's hair.

She beamed. "We look like a family."

_So here I am still holding on…_

**Next on **_**Seasons of Love**_**:** Autumn has set. A lot can happen in this memorable season. Christine will be giving birth, Hana will be celebrating her birthday, and… the truth comes out.

**

* * *

AN:** I am back! Whew! I finally had the time to actually finish a chapter. A break from all the school work is heaven. Anyway, I've got a dose of inspiration for this chapter, which was the main reason why I finished it in one day (_read: _today!). I hope you guys haven't given up on this story of mine.

Oh, and the lyrics I used is part from the song "No Boundaries" by Kris Allen, though I love the Adam Lambert version better. And I want to thank everyone who reviewed! The next Day fic is halfway done, people, so wait for it. Pray I get a dose of inspiration for that fic. Thanks for reading, people! Mwah!


	7. Hello, Daddy

_**Seasons of Love**_

**_o_**

**_o_**

**_o_**

**Chapter Seven: Hello, Daddy**

"_**Nozumo**_! I swear, if you touch me again, I am going to cut your precious anatomy 'cause what I am experiencing right now is your damn—" Hikarigaoka Christine broke into another groan as another wave of contraction hit her like a bulldozer.

Miyu squeezed her friend's hand for support. "Chris-chan, remember to breathe—"

"God. Why does this have to hurt this much?" the soon-to-be mother moaned, closing her eyes tightly. She was breathing heavily, her pink hair plastered against her forehead. "Ugh. Shoot me with anesthesia. Please. Get me a bottle of gin. Anything! I can't take the—OHSHIT!" Christine let out another groan of pain.

"It's a good thing your little filly can't hear you swearing like this," Nanami said cheerfully, wiping the sweat off her friend's forehead.

Aya muffled her laughter. "Come on, Chris-chan! You can do it!"

Nozumo hovered at the side anxiously. His face was etched with worry. "Love, are you—?"

His sentence was left hanging when Christine turned to face him and shouted, "I AM NOT OKAY! Do you think I am fine when there's a baby trying to push its way out of me through a hole not bigger than a golf ball! Hello! I can't believe women do this in a daily basis! I—OHGOD!"

"Is she doing fine?" the soon-to-be father asked anxiously. "Is this even _**normal**_?"

"She's doing great," the nurse in scrubs told Nozumo cheerfully, who was currently trying not to faint at the sight of his wife groaning in pain. "This is pretty normal for first time moms. You should be proud."

Nozumo managed to smile weakly.

A contraction hit Christine. "WHAT THE—!"

Kanata and Santa looked up and winced at the steady flow of expletives Christine was yelling. Instinctively, Kanata covered Hana's ears with his hands, trying to block out the noise. But the little girl didn't even stir. Hana was sleeping peacefully on Kanata's lap, which was no surprise since the excitement that her Aunt Chris-chan was finally having her baby wore her out.

It was three in the morning when Nozumo called Miyu, telling her that Christine was in labor and that he was panicking and needed some support. So Miyu, ever the little trooper, offered to drive the couple to Heiomachi General Hospital and to call the others about the news. But there was a glitch: Miyu doesn't drive. So she called Kanata at exactly 3:10 AM, asked him if he could please get up, fetch her and Hana, then drive to the Hikarigaoka residence to accompany Chris-chan and Nozumo-kun to the hospital.

While in the Kanata's shiny new convertible, Miyu contacted the others and at the same time, was comforting Christine by instructing her to breathe. Hana tried to be helpful by wiping Christine's forehead, whilst Nozumo was holding his wife's hand. The good man wasn't complaining even as Christine was gripping his hand tightly.

Kanata was sure he heard Nozumo's carpals breaking. Poor guy.

That was an hour ago. All the women were with Christine, which wasn't supposed to be allowed, but the Hikarigaoka name had pulled some strings. And poor Nozumo was with them and was currently being verbalized to shreds by his wife.

"I can't believe Chris-chan even knew how to curse, much less, fluently," Santa commented, a slight smile on his lips. "Poor Nozumo-kun. But it will soon be over."

"Oh, I hope so," Kanata said wearily, messing his hair as he ran a hand through it. "Not for Hikarigaoka's sake, but Hanakomachi's. She sounds as if she's… tortured inside there."

Santa scrunched up his face. "I think it is torture. Can you even imagine trying to get a vase through a golf hole? That's like—"

Both men looked at each other and shuddered.

A cheer went inside the closed emergency room, and Santa and Kanata looked up excitedly.

"Did she—?"

"SHOOT ME! Please!"

"I guess not…"

"What's wrong?" Nozumo panicked. He was holding his bundled up newborn boy against his chest, tears in his eyes, when Christine let out another groan.

The nurse frowned and then smiled. "Hikarigaoka-san, breathe again."

Christine clutched the edges of her blanket, her chest heaving. "God. It feels as if I have **another** baby coming—"

"You might not be too far off that mark…"

Nozumo paled and handed his baby boy to the hovering nurse. "What?"

"She's having another baby!" Nanami announced happily. "Congratulations!"

Christine huffed and puffed, glaring fiercely at her husband. "Your pushy genes! It's all their fault—Nozumo!"

THUD.

The nurse spared him a glance before focusing back at Christine. "He's okay. He's just fainted. Probably because of the shocking news."

"One more push, Chris-chan," Miyu encouraged, holding Christine's hand tightly. "You can do it. Come on."

Aya cheered from the floor, having volunteered herself to fan the unconscious soon-to-be-father again.

Five and a half minutes later, a cry pierced the noise in the room for the second time.

An hour later, Nanami, Santa and Aya all trudged up the stairs after a pre-breakfast snack and coffee to keep them going for the rest of the day. Sleep was beginning to set in their tired bodies, but the wonderful additions to their ever expanding group seemed to fuel them to a never ceasing stream of animated chatter.

"I never expected Chris-chan giving birth to twins," Aya said, a huge smile on her face. "A boy and a girl. Wonderful additions to our group!"

Nanami nodded. "Yeah. Hana's not the only kid here anymore. I'm pretty sure she'll be pretty happy to find not one, but two babies in the midst."

"I wished I saw Nozumo-kun faint," Santa chuckled. They turned to the right hall and proceeded to the direction of Christine's private ward. "That must've been an epic scene. I knew I should've brought my camera, but I was out of sorts when Miyu-chan called me."

Nanami and Aya both laughed. "I know what you mean," Nanami said. "But Nozumo woke up again just as his beautiful baby girl was brought into the world. It was so touching."

"Yeah," Aya said, her voice wistful. "Nozumo-kun cried when the nurse handed him the pretty little bundle."

"I felt tears in my eyes when Nozumo carried both babies to Chris-chan and kissed her," Nanami said. "That was beautiful. Chris-chan was smiling and crying and… gosh, it was wonderful."

"What are the babies' names?" Santa queried.

"Kenji-chan and Reiko-chan," Aya answered. "I—"

Both she and Nanami froze up in the middle of the hall, with Santa shooting puzzled glances at them.

"What's wrong?"

Nanami and Aya were now smiling, and they inclined their head in front of them. Santa turned and, despite himself, felt a smile appear on his face.

One of the benches was occupied by three sleeping people.

A man, a woman, and a child.

"I really do wish I brought my camera," Santa said regretfully.

Hana was snoring slightly and she was cradled in Kanata's right arm, her head pressed against the man who was unknowingly her father. Miyu was pressed against Kanata's side. Kanata's shoulder provided a cushion for Miyu's head, and one of her hands was touching Hana's leg. Kanata, a somewhat blissful smile etched on his face, had his other arm wrapped around Miyu's waist.

_**Autumn**_

Miyu gave a smile as she traced a picture of Hana with her finger. In the picture, a 2-year-old Hana was splashing around in an inflatable, purple swimming pool. Turning a page, dozens of pictures, all staring Hana, were carefully taped and arranged. A new-born Hana in her mother's arms; Hana taking her first step; Hana all dolled up during Nozumo and Christine's wedding; Hana with her grandparents and friends…

…but none with her father, Miyu thought sadly. She closed the album, deep in thought, wondering whether it is the right time to tell Kanata and Hana the truth. Everything was easier when Kanata was in America. But now that her daughter and Kanata were finally forming a bond, it was different. She couldn't allow things to go on as it is. It wasn't fair to both of them.

"Mommy!" A childish went through the house, accompanied by footsteps echoing throughout the hall.

"In the bedroom, sweetheart!" Miyu called out.

More excited footsteps were heard, growing louder and louder as they drew nearer to their destination. A minute later, a bathrobe-clad Hana stopped at the doorway, taking in the sight of her mother, her beaming smile fading slowly.

"What's the matter, Mommy?" Hana padded towards her mother, her face slightly worried. Miyu pulled her daughter up onto the bed, embracing her and smelling her sweet strawberry scent. Timidly, Hana ventured her line of questioning further. "Are you thinking about dad?"

Startled at the unexpected question, Miyu asked, "Why do you ask, honey?"

Hana paused, obviously debating whether it would be wise to talk about this. "'Cause when I ask about my daddy you always look sad." The little girl's eyebrows furrowed. "Is papa never coming back from his trip? Is that why you are sad?"

When Hana was three-years-old and could utter a few words, she was always babbling and pointing at things. So it wasn't a surprise that at the age of four, Hana is a fire cannon of questions from how do caterpillars change into beautiful butterflies to questions about her father, his whereabouts and what is he like. The last set of questions freaked Miyu out. When Hana asked why her father wasn't around to pick her up from school or play catch with her, Miyu quickly assured Hana that her father was simply in a another country far away (which wasn't a total lie, Miyu thought back then, cringing inside), and didn't know when he will be back. A little lie to spare Hana the pain that maybe her father didn't like her. When the time is right, Miyu will tell Hana that her father is never coming back, and that they were doing okay as they were. The little girl, placated by that answer, told her mother that she hoped he'll remember to bring her a doll when he comes home, because he missed her previous birthdays.

Remembering that scene several months ago, Miyu decided she couldn't possibly tell Hana that her father wasn't coming home because he was currently in Japan for heavens sake!

Miyu took a deep breath, gathering strength. "I'm only sad because your dad isn't here with us right now," she said evenly, "and I think that in the near future… you're going to meet your father." She paused. "Soon."

Immediately, Hana's eyes brightened and a sparkle that wasn't there before appeared. "Really?" she squeaked, bouncing up and down the bed. "How soon?"

In spite of herself, Miyu smiled. _Maybe she was doing the right thing after all_. "Really soon," she promised gruffly, clearing her throat and evading Hana's eager face.

"That soon?" the little girl breathed, her eyes wide.

How about in two hours?

"Yes, that soon."

For the next fifteen minutes, Miyu was trying to stop Hana from jumping up and down the bed. "Hana, calm down, sweetheart. You'll break the bed," Miyu said sternly, but smiling at the animated bundle of energy.

"He's coming, he's coming, he's coming, HE'S COMING!" Hana yelled happily. Then all too suddenly, she stopped bouncing and stared at Miyu with uncannily serious brown eyes. "Mommy?" she began, her voice laced with worry. "What if… daddy doesn't like me?"

Miyu's heart melted at the unmistakable innocence and wrought her daughter made. She opened her arms, and Hana launched herself into her mother's embrace. She was the innocent one in this situation, yet she's suffering, Miyu thought guiltily.

"Oh, Hana, I am sure your dad will love you," Miyu said tearfully, remembering the way Kanata made Hana happy. "In fact," she added with a shaky smile, cupping her daughter's face in her hands, "I think he already loves you."

After a few more assurances, Miyu left the album on the bed and helped Hana get dressed for her birthday party that afternoon. And as she was fixing Hana's gorgeous blonde locks, she couldn't help think that, _Kanata already loves Hana_.

**X**

_The gang was having one of their monthly get-togethers, and this time, they were in Miyu's home. Aya, Akane and Christine, who was drinking apple juice since she could not drink the fabulous wine Kanata had brought, were on the couch and watching a program dedicated to the lives of the celebrities. Nozumo, Kanata and Santa were playing cards and heckling each other, chips and a few bottles of beer littering the table they were using. In the kitchen, Nanami and Miyu were both preparing a few snacks for the gang, chatting about the dresses they were going to wear during Santa and Akane's wedding._

_Outside, the heavy clouds gathered and a few streaks of lightning lashed across the angry-looking sky. A few minutes later, rain began pelting on the roof, which soon turned into a heavy gush of water from the sky._

_Nanami looked outside the window with a frown. "Looks like the storm is coming," she commented as she sprinkled salt on the freshly popped popcorn._

"_Looks like it," Miyu agreed. "I hope it won't turn into those noisy storms, accompanied with lightning and thunder. Hana hates thunder and she's sleeping already."_

"_Well, who likes them?" Nanami said with an exaggerated shiver._

_As if proving a point, a roar of thunder echoed like a clang of cymbals. A few seconds later, a childish voice screamed, "Mommy!"_

_Miyu rushed towards her daughter's bedroom, taking pity on Hana's shivering form under the blankets. She immediately gathered Hana in her arms, making comforting sounds and wiping her tears._

"_Oh, sweetheart. It's only the thunder, you know that," Miyu murmured comfortingly. 'I'm here. Ssshh. I'm here."_

"_But the sound is so scary," Hana sobbed._

"_Miyu?"_

_Miyu looked up and saw Kanata standing at the doorway. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw how worried he looked, and she seemed to operating on her emotions when she said, "Hey. You can come in."_

_Relieved that she wasn't going to push him away, Kanata walked across the room and sat at the edge of the bed. "Hey, sweetie," he murmured, stroking Hana's disheveled hair. "You all right?"_

_Hana looked at him with tear-filled eyes, wincing as another clapped of thunder roared. "I don't like thunder sounds," she said in her little voice. Desperately, she looked at her mother, "Stay with me, Mommy?"_

"_Of course," Miyu quickly assured her._

"_And Uncle Kanata, too?"_

_Green eyes met with brown ones._

_Then…_

"_Sure, baby."_

_Kanata smiled and mouthed, "Thank you"._

_He snuggled with Hana at her right, while Miyu stayed at the left side of the bed. Pretty soon, her little girl was giggling as Kanata distracted her from the thunder. And as Hana finally slept, Miyu saw that Kanata was sleeping too, his hand covering their daughter's._

**X**

Kanata rang the doorbell to the Kouzukis' home, a slender pink box tucked in his jacket. The change of weather was distinct: the temperature has dropped by several degrees, the air has a certain chill and bite that wasn't there before, the leaves changed color into a glorious array of gold, orange and brown, and people were starting to wear thicker clothes to match the changes.

Staring at the fallen leaves, Kanata smiled at the memory of he and Hana playing in the pile of leaves when she visited the Saionji Temple last week. Miyu was off doing errands for her parents, and grudgingly asked Kanata to babysit for her, if he wasn't too busy.

Despite Miyu's trying to be hostile, she wasn't born that way. Pretty soon, she was warming up to him, letting him stay and sleep with her and Hana during that fateful night was his highlight for a whole month. He was falling in love with Miyu and her daughter. If he was honest with himself, he never fell out of love for that blonde, green-eyed beauty.

And hell would come first before he'd let that Hiro person snatch the two people who managed to lodge themselves into his heart without even trying.

The door opened, and Kanata was greeted by a little girl decked in a glorious blue dress, her blonde hair tied into a half-pony, a brilliant smile on her face.

"Uncle Kanata!" she squealed, launching herself at him without any care about the state of her dress. "You came!"

He chuckled. "Of course I came," he said, leading her inside the house. "Wouldn't miss you turning four for anything in the world."

If it was even possible, Hana's smile grew bigger. "Let's go to the living room. Everyone's there already," she said, tugging his hand.

Sure enough, by everyone, she means everyone. Aside from Hana, the newly-born twins were gathering attention. Christine and Nozumo were sitting on the couch with the twins, Reiko and Kenji, and gathered around them were the women of the house, excluding Miyu, who was chatting with her parents. When she glanced at him and Hana, Kanata noticed that she went a little tense. What's up with that? Kanata wondered.

Nevertheless, Miyu approached him with a smile, albeit a bit strained. "Hi, Kanata," she said, getting the simply wrapped present. "Glad you could come. Where's Oji-san?" she asked, referring to his father.

Kanata made a comedic face. "He ate too much dangos, resulting a very intense appointment with the toilet bowl."

Miyu laughed. She grabbed his hand (Kanata's heart jumped) and led him to dining room. Food were laid out and in the middle of the table, a chocolate cake sat, patiently waiting for everyone to take a slice.

"Okay, everyone," Miyu called out. "We're all here. Let's eat."

A cheer went through everyone. Twenty minutes later, every person was eating Yuu's delicious cooking, piling him with generous compliments as each dish disappeared from the table.

Kanata was eating contentedly, when Miki Kouzuki took notice of him and approached him with a smile. Still working as an astronaut at NASA, Miki Kouzuki looked as if she hasn't aged a bit. Same beautiful green eyes and fiery red hair, plus an attitude to match.

"Kanata-kun!" she exclaimed, taking a seat beside him, balancing her plate filled with beef and vegetables and her glass of orange juice. "How have you been—oh, thank you," she said gratefully, when Kanata helped her set her plate and cup. "Still a gentleman, I see."

Kanata grinned charmingly. "I live to please, Kouzuki-san," he said politely.

Miki scoffed. "Oh please. Call me Miki," she invited, taking a bite of beef. "We've known each other for a long time now."

Kanata merely smiled.

Soon, Miki embarked on a series of questions for Kanata. What does his work entails, when will he be going back to America, but thankfully, none of the news from the gossip columns, which had Kanata cringing inwardly when he was trying to impress the mother of the woman he wanted to have a relationship with.

Then, finally: "Are you seeing anyone at the moment, Kanata-kun?" Miki asked casually, sipping her orange juice in the process.

Too casually, Kanata thought. But he answered anyway. "None at the moment," he replied, setting aside his empty plate.

Miki nodded. "That's good," she said carefully. "Because I know for a fact that you were seen out with my daughter and granddaughter these past few weeks, and I really wouldn't want them hurt." Green eyes, so much like her daughter's, stared.

Kanata cleared his throat. "I have no intention of hurting them," he said quietly and with underlying sincerity. "I care about Miyu and Hana too much. They are really special to me, and though I am known to be a player, I am out of that game right now ever since I came back to Japan." Kanata met Miki's stare. "I love your daughter. Ever since I met her. I may have hurt her in the past—" Kanata broke off, embarrassed. But he took a deep breath and went on, "—but I have no intention of hurting her again. I just needed to battle a few ghosts back then…" His voice trailed when Miki placed a hand on top of his.

She smiled a contented smile. "I understand," she said softly. "I saw how you looked at my daughter a few moments ago. I just needed to be sure." Sure that you won't be hurting my daughter and _your_ daughter, Miki thought.

Kanata smiled and squeezed the older woman's hand.

A few minutes later, Hana barreled towards them, tugging both of their hands. "Grandma, Uncle Kanata," she said excitedly. "Let's go! Mommy said I can open my presents! And aren't the babies cutie?" Hana added, looking wistfully at Reiko and Kenji, both tucked in their parents' arms. "I wish mommy would give me brother or sister."

Miki laughed. "Sweetheart, your mom would need a husband first before she could have a baby," she said fondly, standing up and straightening her skirt.

Kanata's heart constricted. Hell, if Hana wanted a brother or sister, it would mean Miyu getting pregnant. And if Miyu gets pregnant, it means that she'd have to have someone really special.

"Ahem." Kanata looked up to an amused Miyu. "Even though it is your birthday, Hana, and I promised you that you'll get anything you, a brother or sister is out of the question."

"Yes, I know, Mommy," Hana said patiently. "You need a husband and daddy is not here yet." And she skipped off to her pile of presents, as everyone gathered around her.

Kanata glanced at Miyu, his whole body tense. Hell, Hana's father is coming back? He bastard who left them? Just before Miyu could trail after her daughter, Kanata grabbed her wrist and said, "Hana's dad is coming back?" he asked, his voice harsh to his ears.

Miyu felt her heart race. The truth? Could she tell the truth? "Um, Hana's father… Kanata…" JUST TELL THE TRUTH, her inner conscience blared. "…he's here in Japan…"

Kanata's face was expressionless, but he released Miyu. "Miyu, I know I haven't expressed myself yet clearly," he said, unsure on how to tell her his feelings. "But that damn bastard is nothing. He left you and Hana to your devices. Obviously, he isn't a good father or husband."

Miyu sighed wearily. The man was insulting himself and he didn't even know it. "Kanata," she said, "drop it. You don't know our situation right now so—"

"Mommy, can I open my present?"

Miyu closed her eyes. "Sure, sweetheart," she replied with a smile. She turned to Kanata. "Look, I have something to tell you, but it'll have to wait until after the party, okay? It's really important."

How important, Kanata didn't know.

**X**

The party was finally finished, and everyone went home, except Kanata. Hana was all tucked in her bedroom fast asleep, wearing the fabulous silver necklace her unknowing father had gifted her.

Her expression was priceless.

"_Oh, this is soooo beautiful, Uncle Kanata!" the little girl said in awe, dangling the silver star necklace with her fingers. Miyu helped her wear it, and Hana hugged Kanata and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you so much!"_

_Kanata hugged her back. "No problem, sweetheart," he said huskily._

_Then Hana, without a care in the world, said, "I love you."_

Kanata trailed along the hallway, trying to find the bathroom. Seeing a closed door, he opened it, thinking it was the bathroom, when in fact he had stumbled upon Miyu's bedroom. He was about to close the door again, when he noticed the photo album on the bed.

Curious, he entered the room and sat down to look at the album. He smiled as he went through stages of Hana's life. The little girl was really something, he thought. Her biological father is a stupid one for leaving Hana and Miyu.

At the end of the album, there was a paper folded in half. Kanata opened it, thinking it was a card or some sort, but to his surprise, it was Hana's birth certificate. He scanned it quickly, ready to close the album and find the bathroom, when something written on the paper caught his eye.

Mother: Miyu Kouzuki

Father: Kanata Saionji

**X**

Miyu was clearing up a few more plates and cups from the dining table, thinking on how she was going to tell Kanata the truth. Damn, this is even harder than taking care of Hana when she is sick, she thought to herself, dumping the last plastic cups into the garbage bag.

"Miyu…"

Something in his voice made her look up warily, and Miyu's face blanched when Kanata stood at the doorway, holding a piece of paper in his hand. And something inside her, instinct perhaps, told her that he knew the truth.

Kanata's face was carved in granite, and his mouth tightened. "Why in the world did you write my name in Hana's birth certificate, indicating that I am her father?" he demanded.

Well, at least she didn't need a plan on how to break the news to him, Miyu thought ironically.

**Next on **_**Seasons of Love:**_ Hana finds out that Kanata is her father during very intense argument between Miyu and Kanata. And Kanata makes a very interesting proposition to Miyu. Will Miyu agree or not?

* * *

**AN:** Okay. Kill me. It's a long time since I updated, and I am so sorry. Just so you know, this story is not dead people. NOT dead. Anyway, I want to dedicate this chapter to my good, awesome friend, **i-like-smiley-faces** and to all who continuously root for this story! **i-like-smiley-faces** was the one who pushed and PMed me to get on with this. :) Hope you like this chapter, girl!

Hey, guys! Don't forget to review! :) Lots of love!

**PS.** I don't own anything. Sad, but that's life.


	8. Collide

_**Seasons of Love**_

_o_

_o_

_o_

**Chapter Eight: Collide**

Right at that moment, even the sound of a penny dropping on the floor could be heard. Silence enveloped Miyu and Kanata, who were both staring at each other. The pair of brown eyes looked on with undisguised accusation, while a pair of emerald green eyes was filled with guilt, wanting to look away but couldn't.

Tension crackled between them.

"Well?" His voice was harsh and Miyu cringed.

"Kanata—"

"Weren't you ever going to tell me?"

"I wanted to," she said quietly.

"You wanted to." Disbelief colored his voice. "Well, you had loads of chances to tell me that I am a father. In fact, you had four years to tell me."

Anger sparked. "Don't you dare judge me for what I did or did not do!"

"I wasn't judging—"

Now it was Miyu's turn to interrupt. "Yes you were! With every demand and question you hurled at me, you judge me! With every accusation you utter, you judge me!" Her voice escalated to a near yell, and she sought herself to calm down. "For heaven's sake, Kanata," she said, her voice cracking. "Don't you dare turn this situation to everything about you."

Kanata reined in his anger. She was angry when she was the one who lied? "I wasn't making this all about me," he told her. "This situation was never about me. It is about you, me and, most of all, it's about Hana. She needs her parents. Me. Her father."

"We've been doing well," Miyu muttered, not liking the way the conversation has turned into.

"You've been doing well," Kanata amended, "I give you that. But how would you know Hana doesn't need a father when she has never experienced having one?" He wanted to punch something hard, preferably the wall. In one timely moment, his world changed by one word. Father. He was a father.

"Hell," Miyu cursed, shocking Kanata. "Look, when I found out I was pregnant, I wanted to tell you. I did. Swear. But we've just broken up, remember? I never knew where I stood in your life after we've had that falling out. Actually," she said, her voice now hushed, "at that time, if I was honest to myself, I wasn't in your life."

But she was. Oh, she was. Despite having broken off officially, the memory of her laughter and sweetness drove him insane. How he missed her during that time. But he was having problems, Kanata told himself silently. Fear drove him to withdraw. Withdraw from what-could-have-beens and what-ifs. Fear drove him to push the one thing that made him happy.

And he was now paying the price.

"That isn't an excuse," Kanata said stubbornly, suddenly thinking of the years he had missed in his daughter's life. "You should have told me then. I deserve to know."

That's when Miyu's legendary temper blew up. "Oh, don't be high and mighty with me!" she snapped, trying to contain herself from slapping his self-righteous face. "You've just broken up with me! Doesn't that tell me that you don't want me? Doesn't that tell me that you don't want me to be an important part of your life? And for me, that includes the baby that I was carrying in my womb at that time!"

"You don't even know what I want!" Kanata said hoarsely. "Stop assuming!"

Miyu felt something wet trail down her cheek, and she realized it was a tear. She brushed it aside with the back of her arm, angry at herself for showing weakness. Heaven, she didn't want this to happen. Never. "All I know at that time is a relationship again wouldn't be ideal for us," she said, trying to get some control back. "It wouldn't be hard to assume as I did. And besides, you were going places then. I was pregnant during our graduation ceremony. Telling you that you were going to be a daddy would instantly freeze all your plans of moving to a new country." Miyu sat down heavily on a stool, looking as if all the world's problems were on her shoulders. Kanata wanted to wipe away the shadows in her eyes, but he doesn't know how. He was confused. And a little lost, if truth be told.

"Face it, Kanata. It wouldn't be fair to either of us if we started a relationship and pretended to be a happy family. And it wouldn't be fair to Hana if she experienced both of her parents fighting all the time."

"But Hana is my daughter and I am her father. I lost four years of her life! I missed her first word, laugh, step… all the things a father should have experienced with his child. Whatever the status of our relationship back then, I had the right to know my own flesh and blood! I love her," Kanata declared passionately, and Miyu knew that he would make a terrific father toward Hana.

"Mommy?"

Kanata and Miyu both turned around to see a little girl clad in purple elephant pajamas, hugging a fluffy brown bear tightly to her chest. Time seemed to come into a standstill.

"Hana," Miyu breathed.

**X**

"You look exhausted." Kanata noticed how pale Miyu became. He had just put Hana back to her bed, stayed until the little tyke fell asleep, and went in the kitchen to join Miyu. "Sit," he said gently, taking her arm and leading her to one of the stools, before proceeding to putter around the cupboards. "How about some coffee?" he asked, glancing at Miyu. She merely nodded.

Without asking for the location of the ingredients, Kanata found everything needed to make coffee, and pretty soon, the aroma of caffeine filled the kitchen.

"Okay, so how are we going to deal with this?" Miyu posed the dreaded question, waiting until Kanata sat across her. She gladly took the steaming cup of coffee, muttering her thanks. It was a shock that everything was happening this fast, she mused numbly, recalling the conversation that took place a few minutes earlier.

_o_

"_Sweetie, what are you doing out of bed?" Miyu rushed to Hana's side, getting over the shock of her daughter's unexpected appearance._

"_I was thirsty. Want water." But as she responded to her mother's question, Hana was staring solemnly at Kanata._

_For Kanata, it was a whole new experience. This little girl wasn't just the daughter of the woman he loves. She was his daughter too. And the love he felt for her increased ten folds, and all he wanted to do was hug her little body and never let go. But that act would've startled her, so he settled for a "Hi, Hana," and a smile._

_To his astonishment, Hana hesitated. His heart hammered. Has she heard the truth? "Hi," she replied, still clutching her teddy bear. She looked at her mother, then back to Kanata. "You're my daddy?" she asked uncertainly._

_Kanata strode up to his daughter—_his_ daughter, god—and glanced at Miyu. She wasn't showing any objection. Somehow, everything fell into place. He crouched down to her level and looked straight in her eyes._

"_Yes, Hana. I am your dad."_

"_My real daddy?"_

_Kanata closed his eyes as he felt the prick at the back of his eyes. He opened them, but this time, they were glassy and full of emotion. "Yes, baby, your real daddy."_

_Hana lunged at him and he caught her in a fierce embrace, the teddy bear lodged in between them, but he didn't care. He breathed in her strawberry scent, marveling the warmth of her body._

"_I knew," she whispered in his ear._

_Eyebrows rose at that admission. "You knew I was your dad?"_

"_No, silly. I knew you were coming back."_

_o_

"I've never had the intention of separating both of you when I knew you had this instinctive bond. Both of you loved spending time with each other. I suppose," Miyu conceded, twirling a lock of her hair around her index finger, "we'd have to apply for joint custody. But Hana stays with me," she added fiercely. "It wouldn't be ideal for Hana to travel around the world, switching schools all the time. And with your lifestyle of glitter and glitz—" Not to mention the women, she thought darkly, jealousy rearing its ugly head again. "—she needs an environment that is stable and secure."

"You're right," Kanata agreed surprising Miyu. He had already formulated a plan, and it was not joint custody. That was a fight waiting to happen. No, he had other ideas. And it was the perfect plan. "Don't worry. I left that lifestyle months ago when I entered back in your life. I was tired of it. In fact, I was sick of it. And Hana deserves more."

Tentatively and slightly relieved, Miyu touched his arm and said, "Well, I'm glad you seem to think so."

Smoothly, Kanata took her hand in his and stared straight into her eyes. "Which is why I want to offer a proposition."

Wariness clouded her eyes. "What is it?"

Kanata waited a beat before saying, "Marry me."

**Next on **_**Seasons of Love:**_ It was time to listen to reason—girl reason, that is. An afternoon with the girls coupled with a cold and runny nose leads Miyu to Kanata's warm arms. It's a recipe dedicated to destroying the wall around Miyu's guarded heart, making her unresisting to Kanata's eminent charm.

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**AN: ***laughs victoriously and smugly* I did it! I updated and it didn't take me long—like months or years. HAHA! I am proud of meeeeeeeeeee. This is all for you guys! The support is overwhelming, so I dedicate this chapter to everyone who reads and reviews. You guys are my Nutella. (What? O_O) The ones that drives me to eat my sandwich (in this case, write and finish the chapter). ;) Yeah. I'm corny. Kill me.

**Chocoangel**, yeah, I actually debated whether it would be ideal or not for Miyu to tell Kanata, then, boom. I got other ideas. :)) **CrushedLove**, OMG! You reviewed! :) HAHAHA! I miss your words. Anyhoo, you were right. Kanata did ask Miyu to marry him. Right on target. :) And yeah. I deliberately let Kanata insult himself. HAHAHA. Thanks for the support, loves! **teshichan**, HAHAHA! Yeah, his snooping came in handy in times of need. :) Thanks for the support! **yuuyuu,** thank you so much for the review. I really appreciate it. :) A wedding? Hmm, we'll see. :) **telly**, IMY! Thanks for the support! **tina**, HAHA! Yeah, it has been a long time since I updated. And, yup, Kanata didn't get he was the dad because I've formulated the idea that sometimes men are dense and he was blinded by jealousy. :)) Thanks for the review! **DawnRulz**, I do hope you still liked it. :) Thanks so much for reviewing and I hope you liked this chapter! :) **Miyu**, I'm really sorry I took my sweet time in updating. HAHAHA. Hope you like this one! **Square-Enix Fan**, I knooooooooooooow. :)) It has been a long time. I'm so glad you understand me. HAHAHA! Us writers should stick together. Thanks so much for the review and support! **lunaparfait**, I was touched by review. Honest. Thanks so much for sticking by me even though I've been a pest and haven't been updating. Lots of love! **ficlover08**, here's the update! Hope you liked it! :) Thanks for the review. :) **khatzdaax3**, thank you for taking the time to read this story of mine. Thanks for the support! :)

Please review. Love you all!


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